Crusaders’ year of away days

THE Crusaders will play another Super rugby season away from home next year after Christchurch City Council (CCC) said that a stand at the team’s Lancaster Park stadium needed to be demolished because of earthquake damage.

New Zealand’s second largest city is still getting back on its feet after a 6.3-magnitude quake on February 22 killed more than 172 people and badly affected infrastructure.

The seven-time Super rugby champions and runners-up last season were forced to play this year’s home matches at Timaru, Trafalgar Park in Nelson and also in London after the quake left substantial damage to the ground, with engineers recommending the stadium’s Hadlee Stand be demolished.