Crusaders still on the road

Super Rugby side play 470 miles from home after earthquake

Last Updated: January 20, 2012 12:14pm

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Lancaster Park: Crusaders home still unfit after earthquake

Sky Bet

Canterbury Crusaders will open their Super Rugby season with a home match 470 miles away as they recover from the 2011 earthquake.

The earthquake, which measured 6.3 on the Richter scale, left the Crusaders' home at the AMI Stadium, formally Lancaster Park, unusable due to the damage suffered.

Seven-times Super Rugby champions Crusaders were forced to play their home fixtures on the road last season and, with the stadium still undergoing reconstruction, they are set to be forced away again.

Crusaders will now face the Chiefs at the McLean Park in Napier before moving to Christchurch's Rugby League Park in the fifth round of fixtures following the earthquake which caused 182 fatalities in February last year.

Lancaster Park had previously staged Davies Cup tennis, international cricket and football as well as being the central base for the Crusaders.

If the stadium can be redevloped and brought back to the required standard then it is expected to host World Cup cricket in 2015.