Sports and shakes

Is it a love of sport or a love of humanity that should encapsulate a tournament?

We have been on one side of the fence up until now. The Cantabrians are desperate for Christchurch to host seven matches, including two quarter-finals that they were allotted despite the intense rumbling and shaking of their grounds. As a region they were looking for some sort of lift, and any news about the security of hosting those matches would allow people to breathe a heavy sigh of relief.

It's hard to argue with their situation. Their main venue, AMI Stadium, is a wreck, as are the hotels, motels and other forms of accomadation due to host a significant amount of the 85,000 due to arrive on our shores during the tournament. It really is munted.

In the end, the right decision was mde to shift the games, much to the region's imminent disappointment but to the relief of the rest of the country. The rugby community in Christchurch is devastated, but there is nothing they can do as fear and uncertainty continue to surround a region where some areas still struggle without power.

The All Whites were scheduled to travel to play Japan in Tokyo on March 29. Japanese footballing officials stood firm in the hope of the match continuing on for reasons that parallel Christchurch's hosting of World Cup matches: To provide a shimmer of light within the darkness of the tragedy, to give fans a 90 minute distraction from the lifetime of horrific memories now engrained in each and every one of them.

To give them a break.

The differences between the two scenarios are clearly illustrated: On one side there is a world class tournament expected to bring tens of thousands of supporters, and broadcasted to over four billion people which is crucial for not only our rugby fraternity but our image. On the other side is a football friendly between a top class football side in Japan and a team ranked just outside the top 50. Needless to say, the All Whites would not be travelling with an entourage of 80,000.

But what must be similar in both scenarios is the level of anxiety felt by concerned friends, families and fans. The supporters of the All Whites were incredibly concerned about the safety of the team, while the tens of thousands of supporters kept an eye on Christchurch up until the final announcement was made last week.

Whether it is 80,000 or 80, players, their families, coaching staff and supporters need to feel at ease when they arrive. Surely, then, the answer must be, in incredibly unfortunate circumstances, to shift venues.

John Key responded to a call by English writer Peter Bills' claims the safety of the tourists travelling to Christchurch can be repaired in six months time by telling him to stay as a writer and not a seismologist. It was fair reaction as you can get to dispel the inevitable fear rushing through countless Britons reading Bills' articles.

But you cannot help but feel the Government made the absolute correct move, not only for sensibility, but consistency. If the Canterbury matches were to go ahead while the All Whites-Japan clash was cancelled, what does that do to help ease the fears of supporters et al? Canterbury, it's a shame, but you know as much as we do that you're a strong wee bugger and you'll bounce back quicker than ever.