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UPDATED: Highlanders v Crusaders match cancelled due to terrorist attacks
By Online Editors
Tonight’s Highlanders v Crusaders Super Rugby fixture scheduled to be played at Dunedin’s Forsyth Barr Stadium has been cancelled.
New Zealand Rugby's Chief Rugby Officer Nigel Cass said the decision to cancel the match was made after urgent meetings today with both teams, venue management, police and community organisations involved in responses to yesterday’s terrorist attacks in Christchurch.
“After consulting widely with both teams and key stakeholders, New Zealand Rugby has decided to cancel this evening’s match.
“Advice from police and venue management was that the fixture could go ahead, however, with strong agreement from both teams we have made the final call not to proceed as a mark of respect for the events that have occurred in Christchurch."
Crusaders CEO Colin Mainsbridge said their entire club community was in a state of shock.
“Yesterday’s horrific attacks have left us all feeling stunned. All other issues and considerations pale in significance. We will now regroup and make arrangements for the team to return home as soon as possible to be back in their community and with their families.”
Highlanders CEO Roger Clark said they were working to communicate with ticketholders and fans.
“This is always the biggest fixture on our match calendar and one which our fans look forward to, but when we think about the massive loss of life and absolute devastation that has been wreacked on people in Christchurch, we feel this is the right decision.
“For ticketholders refunds will be processed over the next three weeks further information will be available through ticketrocket.co.nz.”
The Highlanders team has met today and all players have been advised to go home and be with their families.
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Latest Comments
Look there are a few unarguable facts here that are very clear. SARU was close to bankruptcy with SR, bailed out by the Lions and they need the URC and EPCR. Inclusion of SA teams in URC has been a great for for ALL concerned, from a rugby perspective and financially, moreover there is massive growth yet to come. The GP is in financial trouble and this will be the catalyst for EPCR change to further cement the Boks.
If this all plays out with even greater rewards for the urc AND the Top14 & GP via EPCR, the 6N will become 7N. Nz and Aus NEED to get their version firing with Japan & the PI’s, otherwise they will find themselves increasingly regressing…
Go to commentsPerofeta came back and was available for the eoyt right? Or was that why Love was in the squad (but got injured in the last week)?
It was such a frustrating year. Perofeta looked a service stop gap until Jordan was fit, but then got injured. Plummer was selected because of Pero's injury and dmac shat the bed in the second half in Australia but Clarke (?) got himself binned at the 65 min mark so Plummer couldn't come on (at least with the risk adverse Razors thinking) when he was planned to.
So many other exciting opportunities that could have happened without injuries, but then theyre probably balanced by knowing Sititi probably wouldn't have been given a chance without multiple injuries happened.
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