The death of a Crusaders board member during the Christchurch earthquake hung over a meeting of players tonight to determine the fate of Saturday’s Super Rugby match against the Hurricanes.

Canterbury Rugby Union chief executive Hamish Riach revealed a director on the eight-man board was killed in the disaster that struck the city yesterday.

The deceased man is Southland-born Ashburton accountant Philip McDonald and it is understood he was working in the Pyne Gould Corporation building which collapsed.

“We’re feeling shell-shocked and pretty numb by that and we’re trying to get our heads around that fact,” Riach told TVNZ.

He was not aware of any other loss of life in the wider organisation although he said team management and players had been shaken up by the event.

The latter group were to meet tonight to discuss their willingness to travel to Wellington for the second round match.

Any decision would then need to be signed off by the board of the Crusaders, probably tomorrow morning.

New Zealand Rugby Union CEO Steve Tew confirmed the decision on whether the match would go ahead would be in the hands of the Crusaders.

“At a time when New Zealand is dealing with one of its worst human tragedies, the focus is on the search and rescue operation underway in Christchurch and our thoughts are very much with those people affected,” Tew said.

“We are working closely with the Crusaders and with SANZAR CEO Greg Peters and the Hurricanes regarding the scheduled Investec Super Rugby round two match between the Hurricanes and Crusaders at Westpac Stadium in Wellington on Saturday. We will be led by the Crusaders with respect to their approach to this fixture. We expect to be able to advise a decision on this game tomorrow.

“Work will take place in regards to future matches in Christchurch in consultation with the Crusaders and VBase and other local organisations, but given what Cantabrians are currently dealing with we will discuss this at a later time.

“We will also be working with our rugby partners on how we as a sport can appropriately acknowledge the tragedy in Christchurch and support the efforts to help those affected and we will communicate that in due course.

“Again, our support and solidarity is with those affected by the earthquake, especially those who have lost loved ones and our thanks to all those New Zealanders and from further afield who have sent messages of support to and through New Zealand Rugby.”

All Blacks and Hurricanes prop Neemia Tialata opined on his twitter site that the match should be postponed, with the players instead employed to help those affected by the earthquake’s damage.

Riach said their experience following the September 4 earthquake in Christchurch was that the Canterbury players were determined to play their ITM Cup match against Northland in Whangarei and that had worked well for the region.

However, he noted the latest disaster and the ramifications were on a far larger scale.

Sanzar chief executive Greg Peters confirmed the logistics of postponing the match were difficult because of the tight schedule.

The new expanded competition has to operate in a compressed season because of World Cup year.

While the Hurricanes have a bye in round three, the Crusaders’ next home match is set down for the following week against the Waratahs on March 4.

The game against the Waratahs has been dedicated as a remembrance match for the Pike River mining disaster, with the Crusaders set to wear West Coast jerseys.