Decision to play defended
Jeff Wilson’s declaration that the Super Rugby quarterfinal between the Crusaders and Highlanders should have been postponed has been punted by Crusaders boss Hamish Riach.
Former All Blacks and Highlanders outside back Wilson has claimed the fixture, played in atrocious conditions at AMI Stadium in Christchurch on Saturday night, should have been delayed until the next day.
The storm that hit the South Island last week forced the Highlanders, who were originally booked to arrive in Christchurch on Friday, to delay their arrival until the following day and although around 15,500 tickets were sold, only around 10,000 fans braved the rain and wind to watch the South Island derby.
‘‘We should never have played,’’ Wilson told Radio Sport after the Crusaders beat the Highlanders 17-0 to book themselves a semi against the Chiefs in Christchurch next weekend.
‘‘We should have missed another flight and turned up on Sunday, or turned up late Saturday and played on a beautiful Sunday afternoon.’’
Riach disagreed. He said the decision, which was made by Sanzaar after its representatives had consulted with all parties including the broadcasters and teams, to stick to the schedule was the correct one.
‘‘In the end the match was always scheduled for Saturday night, and, yes, the conditions were a little bit niggly but when you postpone games and push them around that is a massive call,’’ Riach said.
‘‘For scheduling, for the people who can make it one day and not the next, for all the arrangements that are in place including the broadcaster and everything else.
‘‘We felt all day that while it was certainly cold and wet the game should proceed.’’
Riach said there was no guarantee the weather on Sunday would have been better.
‘‘It would have been a really big call.
‘‘In the end it was cold and wet, but we were quite relaxed that it was the right thing for the game to proceed.’’
Fine weather is forecast for the semi, meaning the giant TV screen at AMI Stadium, lowered for safety reasons and unable to be viewed during the quarterfinal, will be raised once again.
Given the Crusaders were unable to fill the 20,600 capacity ground because of the stormy weather, and had to pay the Highlanders a A$75,000 appearance fee, Riach acknowledged the club had to be prepared to take a financial hit.
‘‘Of course. We get rewarded by the people that come and if that is a little bit less than we would have liked, then the reward is not as great,’’ Riach said. ‘‘But you can’t control the weather. It is what it is. We have no complaints.
‘‘We proceeded because it was the right thing to do.’’
The Crusaders must pay the Chiefs a A$100,000 appearance fee and meet a third of third travelling costs from Cape Town, where they had beaten the Stormers in their quarterfinal last weekend.
The team that hosts the final is obligated to fork over A$125,000, as well contributing to the travel bill.
‘‘That is the way it is, that is our obligation and we just have to stump up,’’ Riach said.