Rugby: Crusaders' Twickenham clash confirmed say RFU

The Crusaders could face the Sharks in London in round six. Photo / Getty Images

The English Rugby Football Union (RFU) have given the Crusaders the go ahead to play the Sharks in a Super 15 clash at Twickenham later this month.

The Christchurch franchise last week asked the RFU if they could host the March 26 fixture as their own ground was unusable due to damage sustained in last month's 6.3-magnitude earthquake.

Despite their willingness to help, the RFU turned down the request for logistical reasons, with Twickenham neighbours Harlequins' set for a home game on the same day.

However, RFU spokesman Peter Thomas told Live Sport today that the match has been given the go ahead and will be played at 4pm (local time) on March 27 at England's home of rugby.

"We've worked hard with all of our stake holders - transport, police, security, other members of the rugby family in England and luckily it's all dropped into place which means we're able to look at getting a game for the 27th," he told Live Sport.

"We'll look to sell as many tickets as we can. But obviously with the fact it's for the earthquake appeal the British Red Cross are going to give a big push."

Thomas told Live Sport that five pounds from every ticket will go to the earthquake appeal.

The Crusaders have yet to officially announce the change of venue but earlier today Crusaders chief executive Hamish Riach was confident of the match going ahead.

Riach said "tweaking" the date and time for the match from March 26 to March 27 had resulted in a better likelihood the match would go ahead.

"We haven't quite got it there, but we're very close to knowing whether we're there or not," he told Radio Sport today.

"Now we've just got some logistical issues to sort out around the Sharks team after the game. If we can solve those, then we may well be in business."

Riach said the timing of the kick-off, and getting the Sharks out of England after the game, were the major sticking points.

The Sharks had been "really supportive" of the proposal, he said, and were keen to do something to help Christchurch and the Crusaders after the devastating earthquake of February 22.

Since the earthquake, the Crusaders have played two Super 15 rugby games after points were shared from their cancelled second-round match against the Hurricanes scheduled for Wellington on February 26.

They thumped the Waratahs 33-18 at their temporary home ground in Nelson on March 4, then destroyed the Brumbies 52-10 a week later at the same venue.

The second-placed Crusaders travel to Dunedin for a fifth-round clash with New Zealand conference leaders the Highlanders on Saturday.

- Herald online/NZPA