Rugby returns to Christchurch
8 Nov 2011
The NZRU has confirmed that the revamped Rugby League Park will host the Crusaders in 2012 as well as a Test match between the All Blacks and Ireland next June.
Christchurch was hit by a earthquake on 22 February and hasn’t hosted a Super Rugby match since. It was decided that AMI Stadium, which was damaged in the quake, was too unstable to host Super Rugby matches, and it was later decided that no World Cup matches would be staged at this venue.
While AMI Stadium won’t be used by the Crusaders or the All Blacks in 2012, top-flight rugby will be returning to the city of Christchurch. The All Blacks will play Ireland on 16 June at Rugby League Park, the same venue that will host the Crusaders during the 2012 Super Rugby season.
Rugby League Park will undergo a NZ$20 million renovation and will have a capacity for the Test, with temporary seating, of 25 000.
77 Comments
8 Nov 2011, 10:07 am
Showed this place on the news.
It’s a dump. But at least Christchurch will get some rugby.
8 Nov 2011, 10:23 am
25 000 for an International test involving the All Blacks? Seems a bit small for the World Champions.
8 Nov 2011, 10:26 am
@Sasuke(Sasuke)-2:
It’s not all about mney
8 Nov 2011, 10:31 am
@Sasuke(Sasuke)-2:
Well they’re already struggling to fill up stadiums anywhere besides Auckland!
Having won the World Cup, they may have solved those problems though.
At the moment it’s just concrete steps at Rugby League Park. I’m guessing some of that money will go towards putting actual seats in.
8 Nov 2011, 11:29 am
@Brads(Brads)-3: yes it is, why are the kiwis the only ones whinging about getting a share of gate money from stadiums they do not own.
8 Nov 2011, 11:45 am
@Roar my Lions …. Currie Cup Champions 2011(RL)-5:
We are not the only ones Lion King.
Australia and Argentina support the same view point.
8 Nov 2011, 12:08 pm
@The Gloater – formerly cane(cane)-6:
Already benefit from the large television audiences for SA teams.
Now they want the money tickets as well.
If they carry on like this, you might find SARU eventually deciding that the Super Rugby campaign is not in their best interests.
8 Nov 2011, 12:23 pm
is there anything we can do to help develop bigger industries in nz?
if they grow their industy they can grow their gov debt/wealth.
8 Nov 2011, 13:55 pm
good stuff…
good for rugby…
good for new zealand…
with the crusaders and their fans all the best…!!
8 Nov 2011, 20:59 pm
A temporary 25000 seater in a city of 300000 people means it seats 8% of the city’s population.
To match that, Joburg, Cape Town and Durban, with their 3 million people each, would each need a stadium seating 240000.
8 Nov 2011, 21:13 pm
@TheTackler(TheTackler)-10: Ja, but it will only have about 5000 through the turnstiles, that reduces it to 1.6% of the population..
Kak stadium, kak town, kak country…
8 Nov 2011, 22:32 pm
@Bod(bod)-11:
So after a quake that killed 100s, you go out of your way to make yourself look like the A$$HOLE that you are.
Its a temporary stadium as stated. In case you didnt know there still alot of poeple living in broken houses,some living in temporary cabins made specially to help people with badly damaged houses. You think we should stop helping those poeple and concentrate on a 50,000 seater stadium instead?
You need to get learn some fkn respect.
Kak person, kak life.
8 Nov 2011, 22:51 pm
@Bod(bod)-11: u do realise that theres been major earthquakes there the cities trying to rebuild it self? your all heart @hole. theres more to life than rugby
@au revoir mon tout noirs, au revoir…(i_love_u_bakkiesbotha)-8: yes please help us increase our industry. we need to save up for a bigger trophy cabinet.
u cant win a worldCup in a board room discussing economics and industry. NZ did it on the field
9 Nov 2011, 03:00 am
@au revoir mon tout noirs, au revoir…(i_love_u_bakkiesbotha)-8:
We need more shanty towns like SA.
@Hurricane(Hurricane)-12:
He doesn’t care that hundreds were killed and thousands of families were ripped apart, what a guy.
9 Nov 2011, 04:03 am
Hey Bod you biltong muching drongo…go play with an elephant you dipstick. You know SA isnt all that it is cracked up to be, there are areas there people would ndot walk DURING THE DAY, I have seen more poverty and shanty towns in your country than any place else, you have a population of 62million (I dont know) so do the sums you idiot, we are on 4-1/2million we try and do the best we can. It is only a temporary stadium and if SA think the new Rugby Championship is not in their best interest, well go North mate, go play with the Poms, and the French and Italians….you would probably still get beaten.
As for you Hendrik – what are you mate? some newly released psychiatric patient…get over yourself cupcake..
9 Nov 2011, 04:25 am
@JohnPaul(JohnPaul)-15:
He lives in NZ, what a w anker he should f uck off back to SA.
9 Nov 2011, 04:33 am
hendrik
SA television viewers benefit from seeing real rugby teams, not Neanderthal Skop aan jaag components.
we’re world champions, and those lemons jof yours just keep piling up ever higher
you’re crying almost as hard as bod is. shampies
9 Nov 2011, 04:38 am
bakkies.
your concern for NZs industries is underwhelming you should concentrate your concerns on all the millions of people who live in townships… how can we grow their industries?
9 Nov 2011, 04:57 am
If the Crusaders wanted to make some real cash, they would relocate to Hong Kong and Asia. Make some insane cash for a few seasons then build a brand new state of the art stadium and have the biggest brand in club rugby. This is one money leaching opportunity the Kiwis have missed, although they are thinking of playing in Singapore, which is awesome.
9 Nov 2011, 05:05 am
@poppa69(poppa69)-18:
Pops I toured SOWETO years ago it absolutely amazes me that anybody from SA would criticize any other country when their country is in such a mess, unbelievable really.
9 Nov 2011, 05:09 am
@HongKongSlong(HongKongSlong)-19:
you don’t get it do you buddy, rugby in NZ isn’t just about the money its about the people and their love for the game, depriving the people of CHCH of rugby would be like depriving the English team of beer at a WC.
9 Nov 2011, 07:15 am
@NZINCHINA(NZINCHINA)-20:
Those same people that criticize other countries you will find are quite happy not knowing or dont care what there own country is like.
9 Nov 2011, 07:36 am
@NZINCHINA(NZINCHINA)-21: Good point about the beer! But seriously, there are so many games of super rugby now, and judging by the description of this new stadium, concrete steps to sit on, I don’t think many games will be a sell out, perhaps an Asian tour within the season would be a good innovation for them?
This new stadium is a stop gap solution right? How do they intend to rebuild the old stadium?
9 Nov 2011, 07:56 am
@Roar my Lions …. Currie Cup Champions 2011(RL)-5:
They shoudn’t be having a sniff at our gate receipts.
Rugby in Pongoland is not about the money.
9 Nov 2011, 10:47 am
@HongKongSlong(HongKongSlong)-23:
I dont think they going to fix the AMI stadium
Its still up in the air i think. Ground may be to damaged so they thinking of building a completely new one. But as said nothing is confirmed. All i know is they have said it is badly damaged and the ground the stadium in on has moved and alot of liquidfaction has risen and come through which really isnt good.
9 Nov 2011, 10:51 am
@Bod(bod)-11:
Cannot be too bad Bod,
or half your family would not be here.
9 Nov 2011, 22:56 pm
@Bod(bod)-11: Taking your underestimation at face value, you get 5000 through the turnstiles in a 25000-seater stadium, so it’s still one-fifth full. Not ideal, but a great deal better than 5000 in a 50000-seater! The point is, you build a stadium to suit YOUR city’s reasonable needs — not to engage in a peeing-and-bragging-contest with other cities ten times your own population size. That’s the point.
9 Nov 2011, 23:06 pm
Walk-in crowds really only pay for the peanuts and after-match beers. Chump change, even if there are 50000 people sell-outs there. The serious money is made from TV rights. That’s why NZ teams play at night, when it’s wet and cold and nicer to watch it on telly — to keep those big-cheque signers from Europe happy. So, nobody loses sleep about small walk-in crowds — not NZRU, not the fans, nobody. There were full houses everywhere for the RWC, so when it’s really important and there is a strong prospect of seeing attractive running rugby (not dreary kick-and-hope), people really do come.
9 Nov 2011, 23:11 pm
@Hurricane(Hurricane)-25: Lancaster Park will be demolished and a new state-of-the-art covered stadium will arise there instead.
SA doesn’t have one covered stadium, even though the annual rainfall of Newlands is FOUR times higher than that of Twickenham! (And, unlike London, where rail falls all year long and is spread out over 12 months, Newlands get clobbered with all its fourfold rain right in the soggy six months of their rugby season!)
10 Nov 2011, 00:58 am
The difference between NZ and SA stadium attendance is that AB supporters will only turn up if their team is winning, while SA fans support their team through thick and thin. I went to a 3N match in 2009 in Hamilton, the ABs still had a theoretical chance of winning the 3N, although SA were on top at the time. About 10,000 people pitched up. Contrast that with a year later and 90,000 people turn up in Soweto to watch Boks vs ABs, when the Boks had no chance of winning the 3N that year. The simple fact is that SA doesn’t need covered stadiums to lure fans because they’re already there. Perhaps NZ rugby fans are just actually fans of the All Black brand, rather than real rugby fans. Hell, they don’t have a decent blogging site…
10 Nov 2011, 01:00 am
@marcb(marcb)-30: Well said. Couldn’t be clearer.
10 Nov 2011, 01:05 am
@JohnPaul(JohnPaul)-15: Playing North would be in SA’s best interest far more than this SANZAR racket.
Once the Argies get disillusioned – I give it 2 years and then this “Rugby Championship” will break up and maybe SA, Arg and France can then do a little tourny together…
Have a tour every couple of years down under
Much better.
10 Nov 2011, 01:11 am
@Heavens Game(Heavens Game)-32:
It would be very interesting wouldn’t it? With the lack of differing time zones, faster flying times and bigger audiences, both in stadiums and TV, it would make a lot of sense for SA to play its rugby in Europe. I believe it was an idea that was raised before, but quickly quashed by SANZAR. They want that gravy train…
10 Nov 2011, 01:17 am
@marcb(marcb)-33: Definitely will be in SA’s interests. Would work for Argentina and could be very attractive for France.
Let the Home Nations play together
The “Central Nations” play together
And the Antipodean Eastern Nations play together
This North/South false demarcation is a load of codswallop.
SA could have an ally in Arg in this Rugby Championship and could get the impetus to break away in a couple of years time from the snakes and the flakes in antipodean land after 2 or 3 stabs in the back too many…
10 Nov 2011, 01:32 am
@marcb(marcb)-33: @Heavens Game(Heavens Game)-34: bye bye..
SA rugby would fit in with the NH perfectly, hell you probably wouldnt even win the 6 nations, considering you cant even beat all the home nations whenever you tour there..
skop aan jaag heaven for your boys, but the average level of intelligence may be a problem, do the NH want their crowds dumbed down?
10 Nov 2011, 01:45 am
@poppa69(poppa69)-35:
Well, we wouldn’t be bankrolling Aussie and Kiwi rugby anymore so that would be a problem for you. Australian rugby relies heavily on Super 15 so they wouldn’t survive long. Maybe you’d follow John Kirwan’s advice and start up a Kiwi-Japan league. Wow, that would be exciting…
The fact is, you need us and our soggy (but full) stadiums much more than we need you or yours. Plain and simple. And once your team loses a couple of games, your “fans” will lose interest and it all comes falling down. NZ rugby operates at a loss as it is, and without South Africa, it would fall over completely.
10 Nov 2011, 02:01 am
@marcb(marcb)-36: really? we need you? we need the constant conspiracy ramblings? lol
you need us to keep you guys near the top of the rugby pile, go to the NH, you’ll be back in a few years because your game would have digressed further (if thats possible) ..
its only by playing us consistently that keeps you guys ranked, what is it? , 4th at the moment?
so be thankful and mind your manners
10 Nov 2011, 02:14 am
What does SA gain out of SANZAR?
Nothing…
The plain and simple answer…
SA does lose the Currie Cup though…
Sacrificed for these Antipodean snakefcks.
10 Nov 2011, 02:18 am
Go North.
We won’t regret it.
Money will be better and the rugby won’t be half bad.
A rained out stadium in the same time zone sure as hell beats a rained out stadium on the other side of the planet…
Refs won’t be half bad either.
Time for a change will be nigh.
It makes sense.
10 Nov 2011, 02:19 am
@marcb(marcb)-30:
I hope your not thinking we are going to believe your rubbish.
As soon as you said only 10,000 people turned up to the Boks vs NZ in Hamilton i stopped reading and had a laugh…at you.
A sell out happened that day on september the 12th. Yet you think it was 10,000 people cos you were there…..lol..you were not there.
And the HG of course believes you hahaha
@Heavens Game(Heavens Game)-32:
France will beat you so many times you will be back,tail between legs playing worse rugby than ever.
You guys crack me up, no one want to play with you bar NZ and OZ, live with it.
@marcb(marcb)-36:
You seem to think its all about money. If you want to be the best, you need to play the best. But go on off ya go play tournaments against teams that are sitting 6th -9th ranked in the world. You will get alot better……lol
10 Nov 2011, 02:19 am
@Heavens Game(Heavens Game)-39: Crowds will also be more passionate.
10 Nov 2011, 02:22 am
@poppa69(poppa69)-37:
Yes. Really. You do need us, more than we need you. It’s only by playing us consistently that keeps your union from going bankrupt. Keep the petty insults flying though…
10 Nov 2011, 02:23 am
SA needs to build some relationships with France… Get some pre season games going between the Super rugby sides and some of the top French clubs or some such… It makes a good change. It makes sense.
With a global season this can all become possible… Not at the moment though.
10 Nov 2011, 02:29 am
I am not even sure Kiwicnts actually like the game of rugby… All they do is prostrate themselves in front of what is now an Adidas brand and this brand’s pisswilly attempt at a rugged macarena… That’s it.
Rugby played by any other team albeit international, provincial or club does not even come onto the radar.
Their knowledge of the history of the game worldwide is quite shocking too… Even the Poms aren’t as blinkered…
Farken dumfcks…
10 Nov 2011, 02:34 am
I think NZ and OZ should approach the the Welsh and English and have a tournament with the best from SH vs the best from NH.
That would be great. We should give SA a break and let then go of on there own as it seems they want to.
@Heavens Game(Heavens Game)-44:
Agghh i see why you so upset. Us Kiwis hate rugby yet have the better of a game where you guys think you should be the best.
Only blinkered one here is you.
10 Nov 2011, 02:42 am
@Hurricane(Hurricane)-45:
Nah, they wouldn’t be interested in flying around the world to play in front of three men and a sheep…
10 Nov 2011, 02:42 am
So, Gary Gold to take over at Stormers… Wonder if its just Rassie going or Alistair and Rassie… Especially since WePee are advertising their DoR post.
10 Nov 2011, 03:21 am
@marcb(marcb)-46:
3 men and a sheep you say?
We all know you miscounted the Hamilton test by 15000 people. I suggest you stop trying to count.
10 Nov 2011, 03:30 am
@Hurricane(Hurricane)-48:
Yes, I was there for that test. Apparently it was sold out and they put up a temporary stand and there was going to be 30,000 people. Dream on. Funny how I got three tickets three days before the test, after it had been “sold out” weeks before. Keep being deluded bud…
10 Nov 2011, 03:44 am
@Heavens Game(Heavens Game)-43: a SA – France relationship?
swap thuggery notes?
how is France this time of year? you must have been so intense waiting for the plane to land…did you see any man shamed shorks as you flew over?
vatso katvis
:@marcb(marcb)-42: SA gets just as much out of the relationship and you know it… why you even had two kiwi coaches contesting the curry cup, but yeah…go north young man, see how much your rugby develops there… when you wont be able to get players released due to the NH club influence…. should be a bed of roses huh?
10 Nov 2011, 03:50 am
Id be more worried about fixing bokke rugby first before threatening to run away with your ball yet again… but I suppose you guys want to play in a competition where you may have better success than 3 times in 15 attempts…its perfectly understandable, if you cant handle playing against the big boys then tuck in your tails and run. eish..
I mean, coming 8th at the WC isnt a good indication of why WE should continue to ALLOW you into the comp…
10 Nov 2011, 03:53 am
@poppa69(poppa69)-50:
That’s just it, I don’t think we do get as much as NZ out of it. We definitely don’t get as much as Australia, that’s for sure. I’m not sure that those two, admittedly excellent, coaches have much to do with the SANZAR relationship, the Currie Cup was going long before that deal saved your financial bacon…
10 Nov 2011, 03:54 am
@poppa69(poppa69)-51:
Maybe because WE bankroll it?
10 Nov 2011, 03:57 am
@marcb(marcb)-49:
Ummm you say 10000. You tube the hamilton test 2009.
I suggest you take a long deep breathe.
Your infact the dreamer here making rubbish up.
So what you got 3 tickets to the test 3 days before.
That does not prove anything. As i suggest yout tube it. In one video frame theres more than 10000 people.
10 Nov 2011, 03:57 am
@marcb(marcb)-53: shame then that your administrators continue to bend over to Oniell and Tew? you cant blame us for the incompetency of your own union..
but go ahead, go north… do they even want you?
10 Nov 2011, 04:00 am
@poppa69(poppa69)-51:
Poppa this same cr@p comes around everytime the Boks get a good hiding or disappoint there fans.
Its like, if we cant win we will go somewhere else. Fkn laughable really.
10 Nov 2011, 04:02 am
@Hurricane(Hurricane)-56: agree totally mate, heard it all before… being led by keo’s very on Le Coq cheerleader, HG..
must be lonely in France this time of year..
10 Nov 2011, 04:16 am
@poppa69(poppa69)-57:
Yet, you’re the guys getting all hysterical about it. The suggestion was made on a purely practical and financial point of view, as there is no time difference to speak of, hence no jet lag. The travel time itself is much shorter, and the potential audience is bigger, resulting in higher revenue. You both need to calm yourselves down a bit, breathe into a paper bag or something, I think your gravy train will be around for a while yet so no need to panic…
10 Nov 2011, 04:19 am
@Hurricane(Hurricane)-54:
I found the actual game report.
Attendance 31000 at hamilton that day/night.
Looks like my figures of you miscounting by 15000 were off.
In fact you miscounted by 20000 people.
SA vs ABs at Hamilton in 2009 ??
Is this the game?
10 Nov 2011, 04:27 am
@marcb(marcb)-58:
I think you need to realise the same thing pop up when the Boks lose games,lets leave Ozzie and NZ.
Ok so its better financially for the Boks to play in the NH. I say go for it, be a shame but money is what rugby is all about now.
But anyway if it happens i am sure we will be able to survive somehow. But dont be like others and wait for the Boks to lose and try and threaten us with leaving. It really looks like sour grapes
10 Nov 2011, 04:44 am
@Hurricane(Hurricane)-60:
Plainly I don’t control SA rugby so I’m not sure how I could threaten you with leaving – as I said before, it’s just a thought on a blogging site, nothing more. And it’s worth mentioning that it’s something I’ve wondered about for a while, regardless of who was winning at the time. in fact, I think it was watching low Super 15 attendances in places like Wellington and Hamilton and wondering how anyone actually did make money, especially after the cost of flying 22-odd people halfway around the world, presumably business-class, so that they turn up, jetlagged, play a game and go back home again. Like it or not, modern professional rugby is a business and financially it doesn’t make sense, so they have to play more games to make up the shortfall – hence the “too much rugby” that people, in NZ especially, complain about.
10 Nov 2011, 05:13 am
@marcb(marcb)-61: whose getting hysterical? we’ve already said go if thats what you prefer, but I dont think the NH want you in their comp anyways… Im sure it would be so advantageous for your actual rugby wouldnt it?
as for travel disadvantage etc, all excuses we’ve heard before, and no doubt will hear again next year… seems the norm here..
10 Nov 2011, 05:38 am
@poppa69(poppa69)-62:
Don’t fret pet, SANZAR will be around for a while. We wouldn’t want to deprive you of your trolling action…
10 Nov 2011, 09:17 am
@marcb(marcb)-61:
Thanks but you missed where i said the attendance at the Hamilton game was 30000 people. You know the game you went to and said there was only 10000 people. Care to explain?
10 Nov 2011, 09:49 am
Sulking and playing the minnow nations of the north wouldn’t get away from the FACT that the world champions live in NZ and the runners-up live in Oz..
The arduous Bledisloe Cup will ensure they remain super-sharp while the also-rans and the assorted wooden-spooners grow ever weaker.
10 Nov 2011, 20:04 pm
@Hurricane(Hurricane)-64:
OK, so allowing for the fact that you’re right and I was wrong (perhaps I under-estimated the crowd because of the total lack of atmosphere at Waikato Stadium), 30,000 people is the best you could hope for at a venue situated to attract the most people in the North Island, by far the most densely populated of the two. SA gets more crowds than that to watch varsity rugby. The fact is that more rugby needs to be played so that your own union is propped up financially. Without Tri-Nations and Super rugby participation it would collapse. There’s no way a yearly Bledisloe love-in would keep you afloat. After all, look how your little Tokyo adventure bombed.
10 Nov 2011, 20:27 pm
@marcb(marcb)-66: You just don’t get it, pilgrim? Crowds turning up to a stadium — ANY stadium, ANYWHERE and in ANY number — hardly make a blindest bit of difference to the big income stream. It’s the TV right that make the serious bucks. And the world pays the best money to see the best teams play. The best teams come from NZ. When they play in Europe, the house-full signs always go up quick-smart.
10 Nov 2011, 22:28 pm
@TheTackler(TheTackler)-67:
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10755449
11 Nov 2011, 01:40 am
@marcb(marcb)-68: random
11 Nov 2011, 02:38 am
@man1a(man1a)-69:
No buddy, just above your head…
11 Nov 2011, 03:06 am
@marcb(marcb)-70: must be way over your head then . i can count
11 Nov 2011, 03:24 am
@man1a(man1a)-71:
Keep it coming poodle-boy…
11 Nov 2011, 03:35 am
@marcb(marcb)-72: u sure it was a poodle like you were sure it was 10,000?
11 Nov 2011, 03:39 am
@man1a(man1a)-73:
Kerpow!! And that was your best shot? Move along now troll, there’s a good fella…
11 Nov 2011, 03:40 am
@marcb(marcb)-74: i like it here too much.
11 Nov 2011, 04:00 am
@man1a(man1a)-75:
Aah, that’s nice. It’s good to see that kiwi reliance on jaapie rugby now extends to all areas.
11 Nov 2011, 05:03 am
WTF……..its amazing what a 1 point win does for some egos
Faaking doos’s
Have your say
You must be logged in to post a comment.