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Quake threatens Christchurch's Cup dream

Roar Pro
27th February, 2011
5

A loud cracking noise pierces the air at Christchurch’s Rugby World Cup stadium every time an aftershock rocks the earthquake-scarred city. It is the sound of windows breaking inside the venue.

On one of the main stands, a jagged fissure zig-zags up a wall, while surrounding roads are twisted and split after a devastating 6.3-magnitude quake convulsed the New Zealand city last Tuesday, killing at least 146 people.

Inside AMI Stadium, which is closed for two weeks as experts assess the damage, reports say the pitch is dotted with huge piles of silt pushed up from below the ground during the seismic seizure and resembles “a moguls ski field”.

With bodies still being pulled from the rubble of New Zealand’s second largest city, Rugby World Cup officials say it is too early to know whether it can host matches at the showcase tournament in September-October.

The government says it desperately wants Christchurch to be part of the largest event ever staged in the country but has warned the ruined city may not recover in time.

Canterbury Rugby Union chief executive Hamish Riach echoed the pessimistic assessment, saying: “Right now it doesn’t feel like we could could host very much at all.”

“Everybody is in the immediacy of this tragic event and we’re not quite getting our heads around that space just yet, but gosh I hope so,” he added.

Shifting matches away from Christchurch would not only be a blow to the rugby-mad city’s morale after two major earthquakes in six months, it would also create a logistical nightmare for tournament organisers.

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It is one of the event’s anchor venues, slated to host seven matches, including two quarter-finals, which would have to be moved to stadiums in other cities such as Auckland and Wellington already booked for World Cup matches.

In addition, tens of thousands of international fans who have already finalised plans to make the long trek to Christchurch for the showcase tournament would need to reschedule flights and accommodation.

Australia, which has an abundance of stadiums after hosting the Olympics in 2000 and the Rugby World Cup in 2003, has been touted as an alternative venue but tournament organisers say the option is not on the table.

“Rest assured, RWC 2011 will proceed and all matches will proceed in New Zealand,” Rugby New Zealand 2011 said.

Richard Knowler, senior rugby writer at the Christchurch Press newspaper believes organisers may have to rethink that position, citing the destruction of hotels in the city’s downtown area as a major hurdle.

“I’m sure one of the things that will be considered is if they can redirect some games to Sydney, it’s only three-and-a-half hours away,” he said.

Christchurch’s landmark 26-storey Grand Chancellor hotel is listing precariously after shifting on its foundations in the quake and is likely to be destroyed.

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The minor structural damage to AMI Stadium itself is repairable, operators Vbase say, although the ruined pitch and destruction of surrounding infrastructure mean they cannot decide on its World Cup-status until mid-March.

Prime Minister John Key, who was raised in the stricken city, said holding the matches as planned would provide a powerful symbol “that Christchurch is back up on its feet”.

Local mayor Bob Parker has vowed to battle tooth-and-nail to prevent any rescheduling, insisting any problems can be overcome.

“We’ll do everything we can to fight to keep the Rugby World Cup here and the first minister to suggest we can’t have it will be likely to feel the vicious wrath and scorn of the people not just of this province but, I would suggest, this island,” he told reporters.

However, Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee has already raised the possibility of moving matches, warning the city must brace itself for potentially bad news.

“(It) would be a massive blow,” he said. “I don’t want to see it happen but we’ve got to be realistic about the prospect.”

Christchurch-based former All Blacks fullback Fergie McCormack said the Rugby World Cup debate was not an immediate priority for a city still in crisis but he had not given up hope of seeing the tournament in his hometown.

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But resident Marcel Walker, who like most people in Christchurch describes himself as a rugby fan, feared an influx of tourists just seven months after the disaster would hamper rebuilding efforts.

“The city is not going to be operational anyway,” he said, adding that he wanted the matches to remain in New Zealand.

“I think the Rugby World Cup — not in Christchurch,” he said. “Just get rid of it. Everyone else can have it.”

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