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Johannesburg - The Rugby Football Union confirmed on Monday that the Vodacom Super Rugby match between the Crusaders and the Sharks next weekend will be held at Twickenham on March 27.
Their Crusaders' home ground in Christchurch, the AMI Stadium, was damaged in an earthquake last month, and in all likelyhood will miss out on staging World Cup matches later this year.
The match was initially scheduled for next Friday, but that would have clashed with Harlequins’ match against Gloucester.
Sharks commercial manager Rudolf Straeuli had said on Monday that the decision taken would have to be in their best interests.
They play the Stormers the following Saturday (2 April) in Durban. Apart from the Sharks, the Cape side is the only other unbeaten side in the competition.
The Sharks will only be back in South African the following Monday or Tuesday, which leaves them with limited time to prepare for the Stormers.
The match will kick off at 18:00 (SA time), with £5 from each ticket sold going towards fundraising by Red Cross for the earthquake appeal.
An RFU spokesperson said: "It's fantastic news that we were able to find a date that would enable us to host the game as the centrepiece of a weekend of fundraising for the people of Christchurch.
"Having some of the southern hemisphere's best players on display at Twickenham will be a treat for all English based fans of Super Rugby.
"It is great to see the rugby family pull together for such a worthy cause and we would like to thank all our stakeholders for their flexibility and support in making this happen.
Their Crusaders' home ground in Christchurch, the AMI Stadium, was damaged in an earthquake last month, and in all likelyhood will miss out on staging World Cup matches later this year.
The match was initially scheduled for next Friday, but that would have clashed with Harlequins’ match against Gloucester.
Sharks commercial manager Rudolf Straeuli had said on Monday that the decision taken would have to be in their best interests.
They play the Stormers the following Saturday (2 April) in Durban. Apart from the Sharks, the Cape side is the only other unbeaten side in the competition.
The Sharks will only be back in South African the following Monday or Tuesday, which leaves them with limited time to prepare for the Stormers.
The match will kick off at 18:00 (SA time), with £5 from each ticket sold going towards fundraising by Red Cross for the earthquake appeal.
An RFU spokesperson said: "It's fantastic news that we were able to find a date that would enable us to host the game as the centrepiece of a weekend of fundraising for the people of Christchurch.
"Having some of the southern hemisphere's best players on display at Twickenham will be a treat for all English based fans of Super Rugby.
"It is great to see the rugby family pull together for such a worthy cause and we would like to thank all our stakeholders for their flexibility and support in making this happen.
