Our chance to help New Zealand team

THE recent, tragic earthquake which struck the New Zealand city of Christchurch resulted in the city’s legendary rugby team, the Canterbury Crusaders, losing the use of their home ground, the AMI Stadium, as a result of structural damage inflicted on it by the earthquake.

The English RFU, for scheduling reasons, have declined to temporarily facilitate the Christchurch rugby team by allowing them the use of Twickenham rugby stadium in London for at least one of their remaining home matches in this year’s Super 15 southern hemisphere club competition.

The Canterbury Crusaders approached Twickenham because of the large number of New Zealand expatriates living in Britain and Ireland.

These events provide an opportunity for the rugby fraternity in Ireland to help out, in a spirit of charity, the people of Christchurch by providing, for their beloved rugby team, the use of our brand new Aviva Stadium in Dublin for at least one or two of their remaining home matches.

As well as helping out a city in need, this may also provide an opportunity for young Irish kids to witness a whole new set of rugby skills.

John B Reid

Monkstown

Co Dublin