WCup schedule unveiled

Rugby World Cup organisers yesterday said three of the five pool matches stripped from Christ-church after last month’s earthquake would still be played in New Zealand’s South Island.

Tournament officials said the South Island cities of Nelson, Dunedin and Invercargill would each host an extra pool match, with the other two games originally earmarked for Christchurch going to Wellington and Auckland.

Auckland’s Eden Park was confirmed earlier this month as the new venue for the two quarter-finals that were to be played in Christchurch until a massive quake devastated the city on February 22, killing more than 160 people.

RugbyNZ 2011 chief executive Martin Snedden said organisers had hoped to keep all of the matches in the South Island, where they would be easily accessible to Christchurch residents, but it proved impossible.

“While we know that our rescheduling decisions won’t please everyone, on balance, we have achieved the best possible result,” he said.

Snedden said fans who had bought tickets to any of the Christ-church matches would have their money refunded in April. They will be given priority booking in May if they still want to attend.