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Design plans for Crusaders' new half-a-billion dollar stadium revealed

(Photo / Christchurch City Council)

The design plans for the Crusaders’ future home ground, the Canterbury Multi-Use Arena (CMUA), have been revealed by the Christchurch City Council.

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Images released by the council on the weekend show a design concept for a roofed, rectangular-turfed stadium with a capacity of 30,000 for sporting events, which can be expanded to up to 37,800 for concerts.

The images were created by Christchurch-based architects Warren & Mahoney and international stadium design experts Populous, with the total budget for the construction of the stadium set at $533 million.

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(Photo / Christchurch City Council)

The CMUA is expected to be completed by mid-2025 and will act, among other things, as a permanent home ground for the Crusaders, who haven’t had one since 2011 due to the damage caused to AMI Stadium by that year’s Christchurch earthquake.

Since then, the serial Super Rugby title-winners have been based out of Orangetheory Stadium, formerly known as Rugby League Park, which served to act as a temporary home base but has become the franchise’s home ground for almost a decade.

The CMUA, which will be based in the centre of Christchurch, will also be used to host All Blacks tests, with CMUA Project Delivery Ltd board chairman Barry Bragg excited by what the new design images entail for the city and the venue.

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(Photo / Christchurch City Council)

“These designs crystallise our vision for the CMUA to be the most modern, fit-for-purpose arena in the country – a facility that leads the way from an innovation and sustainability perspective,” he said, as per Newstalk ZB.

“We know people are really excited about the prospect of having a covered arena in the heart of the city and we hope these preliminary designs will capture people’s imaginations and give them a glimpse of what is to come.

“We are well on the way towards delivering Christchurch a world-class covered arena with high-quality acoustics that is capable of hosting top international music concerts as well as major international sporting fixtures.”

(Photo / Christchurch City Council)

Christchurch City Council project lead Alistair Pearson told Stuff that the team working on the arena’s design intended to stay within the $533m budget, while Crusaders chief executive Colin Mansbridge was impressed with the fresh design images.

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“You look like you’re really close to the action,” Mansbridge, who also described the stadium as “bright and airy and really intimate”, said, according to Stuff.

Mansbridge added that shadows created by the roof will be something that needs to be addressed, although he acknowledged most Crusaders home matches would be played at night anyway.

(Photo / Christchurch City Council)

Councillors will meet next month to confirm the final preliminary design package, with construction expected to get underway in the middle of next year.

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R
RedWarrior 1 hour ago
Three-way race to be number one in World Rugby men's rankings

IF SA and NZ win then its 1,2,3 SA/NZ/IRL Otherwise as you were. This is largely irrelevant beyond bragging rights.


As I have pointed out elsewhere the practical use of the Rankings is to determine the seedings bands for the RWC draw. The draw takes place early 2026 and hopefully the rankings will be taken from then.


Important to be in the top 6, the top 12. (and likely the top 4).

This is because there are now 6 groups in the RWC 2027.

If you are in top 6 you are in Seeding Band 1. That means none of the other top 6 will be in your group.

Seeding Band 2 are teams from 7-12, who will have a top 6 team but no other 7-12 team.

After England's defeat by NZ there is clear water between NZ in 3rd, France in 4th and England in 5th. England are desperate for top4, ill come back and explain why later.

Lets look at Seeding Band 1 and 6th place. If you make 6th, no top 6 team is in your group, you are top dog. If you win your group, you won't be facing a top 6 team in your 1/8th final, you will be facing a weaker team. If you fail to make 6th place you WILL have a top 6 team in your group and if you don't win your group you WILL (probably) meet a top 6 in the 1/8 final. That's massive.


Its Argentina holding 6th now. Assuming England hold 5th, then its a 4 horse race for 6th. Argentina, Scotland, Italy and ...Australia. (ranked 6,7,8,9)

Australia play the Lions in NH summer 2025 they are running out of time to get up to 6th for their own RWC. They MUST make a move now. They must beat Wales and they really must beat Scotland to gain points and take points off them. Could they surprise England or Ireland? England may be the better bet but Schmidt knows Ireland so well having masterminded their downfall in France.

Another one to watch is Italy V Argentina. Italy are ambitious and they will want to start pushing the likes of Argentina. If they win this they are still in the hunt. Well worth a watch either way.


Top4: I think the top 6 will be seeded, all the way through from the draw. If thats the case then the top 4 will be seeded to avoid each other until the semi. Good for more certainty around ticket sales etc. That's a possible reason why England want in there. You're not in there you are hitting a top 4 team in a QF. That's an extra 50:50 match you can do without and avoid by being top 4.


Lets look at what Seeding bands might look like with todays rankings:


Seeding Band 1

IRE/SA/NZ/FRA/ENG/ARG

Seeding Band 2

SCO/ITA/AUS/FIJ/WAL/GEO


Sample Aussie strongest pool opponent and 1/8th final opponent if in top 6

Strongest pool opponent: FIJI

1/8 final opponent GEORGIA

Prognosis: advance to 1/4 and potentially beyond


Sample Aussie strongest pool opponent and 1/8th final opponent if NOT in top 6

Strongest pool opponent: SOUTH AFRICA

1/8 final opponent NEW ZEALAND

Prognosis: You know the prognosis


I am pretty sure this is not lost on Joe Schmidt?


Keep in mind when enjoying the matches.

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