Rugby: Crusaders to play home games in Nelson

The Crusaders will play at least two games at Nelson's Trafalgar Park. Photo / Getty Images

The Crusaders will play at least their next two "home" Super rugby games at Nelson's Trafalgar Park and train in North Canterbury in the wake of Christchurch's devastating earthquake.

AMI Stadium is expected to be off limits for the remainder of the tournament after cracks were discovered in the stands following Tuesday's deadly jolt and aftershocks.

The Crusaders today confirmed next Friday's third round match against the New South Wales Waratahs will be hosted in Nelson after an offer by the Australians to hold the game in Sydney was declined.

They will also play the Brumbies at Trafalgar Park on March 11 and then Crusaders management will reassess where to hold their six remaining home games.

The Crusaders training base at Rugby Park in St Albans, on the outskirts of the decimated central business district, is also displaying signs of structural damage and liquefaction.

Members of the squad joined a community effort to clean up mud and debris from the suburb of Shirley yesterday and were then ordered to disperse to tend to their families, loved ones and properties.

With tomorrow's nights contest with the Hurricanes abandoned late Wednesday - and declared a draw - the players will reassemble on Monday to prepare for the Waratahs game.

The Crusaders will transfer their training base to the Ohoka Rugby Club's headquarters at Mandeville Domain for the foreseeable future.

After the Brumbies visit, the Crusaders play the Highlanders in Dunedin and then host the Sharks on March 25.

Crusaders team manager Tony Thorpe said the team would travel to Nelson on the Thursday and then return to Christchurch on a charter flight on Saturday.

Although AMI Stadium is officially out of action for a month, Thorpe told NZPA "in reality we won't be playing any games there".

While Trafalgar Park is their initial alternative home ground, Thorpe said Dunedin, Invercargill, Wellington, Hamilton and Auckland were also potential venues for future Crusaders home games depending on ground availability.

Some players have remained in the city while others including All Blacks Kieran Read, Corey Flynn and Chris Jack have moved their families elsewhere while tremors continue to unnerve inhabitants as a massive rescue mission continues.

Thorpe said although several players expressed a desire to travel to Wellington and play the Hurricanes tomorrow night, they were also relieved when the decision was made to cancel the match.

Vbase, the company which manages AMI Stadium, yesterday confirmed there is damage to fixtures and fittings and liquefaction within the ground - including the playing surface. There is also substantial damage to surrounding streets and infrastructure.

Repairing the stadium should be a low priority considering workers from the engineering and construction industries are focused on assessing damaged buildings, clearing rubble and repairing the city's destroyed infrastructure.

Meanwhile, although sport is understandably an afterthought throughout the fractured Canterbury province Thorpe said the Crusaders had been challenged to draw inspiration from the devastation unfolding around them.

"This hasn't changed what our job is, as professional footballers our focus is still to win the competition," he said.

"This will be a real test of character."

In a gesture of solidarity with Cantabrians, a minute's silence will be observed at the remaining Super rugby matches in New Zealand, Australia and South Africa this weekend while players from all teams will wear red and black armbands as a mark of respect for those killed in the quake.

- NZPA