The Crusaders are still planning to travel to Wellington for Saturday’s match against the Hurricanes but players will be given the choice of opting out.
Around half of the squad were training at Rugby park in Christchurch when the 6.3 magnitude earthquake hit and some were in the shower.
“We’re due to fly to Wellington at about lunchtime on Friday and if the airport’s open, then it’ll be business as usual,” Crusaders media manager Patrick McKendry told the Press.
“This was obviously the most violent of all the aftershocks we’ve had since the first earthquake last September and unfortunately everyone’s become kind of used to them now. For that reason I imagine all the players will be available for Saturday’s game.
“Ultimately it’ll be up to the individuals and, say, if their house has been flattened or their family are traumatised or whatever, then obviously they’ll be free to remain behind.”
All Blacks captain Richie McCaw who is recovering from surgery on a stress fracture to his foot said that he was thrown out of his chair by the impact.
“It was pretty nasty, not very good. I’m only on one leg so it’s reasonably useless trying to get around.”
Meanwhile the New Zealand Rugby Union plan to hold a meeting later today to decide whether or not this weekend’s game will go ahead in Wellington.
While it appears that none of the players were injured the Crusaders have revealed to TVNZ that one of their board members who is un-named was killed in the disaster.
Crusaders CEO Hamish Riach Riach confirmed he’ll be in touch with the Crusaders coaches, management and senior players to get their feelings about playing today.
Riach said that all of the players and management staff appeared to have come through the disaster unscathed.
AMI Stadium will be checked for structural damage and the extent of any new damage is not immediately clear, although reports in the Telegraph suggest that cracks had been spotted in the structure.
The Crusaders are scheduled to play their first match at AMI Stadium next weekend against the Waratahs who have offered the Sydney Football Stadium as an alternate venue should AMI Stadium not be fit for purpose.
That match next week was planned to mark another heartbreaking South Island tragedy, the Pike River Mine disaster so if the Crusaders do move the match it is likely that they will keep it in New Zealand.
SANZAR CEO Greg Peters says that the players are keen to keep the match at AMI stadium as they plan to wear West Coast jerseys.