Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee urged the stricken city to be "realistic" about holding Rugby World Cup matches in September and October after the earthquake caused widespread damage, including to the rugby stadium.
"To lose the Rugby World Cup from Christchurch would be a massive blow," Brownlee said.
"I don't want to see it happen, but we've got to be realistic about the prospect."
Rugby-mad Christchurch is one of the main venues for the seven-week competition, and is slated to hold two quarter-finals on October 8 and 9.
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But Tuesday's earthquake reduced much of the city centre and some suburbs to ruins. Although AMI Stadium has only minor damage, the pitch has been hit by liquefaction, when soil becomes a quagmire because of the ground's shaking.
Stadium officials also reported serious damage around the venue, which is just two kilometres from the rubble-strewn city centre - where Christchurch's biggest hotel is tottering and in danger of collapse.
On Saturday, engineers said as much as a third of the central district, where office buildings folded like packs of cards and entire streets lost their shop frontages, may be demolished and rebuilt.
"To lose the Rugby World Cup from Christchurch would be a massive blow," Brownlee said.
"I don't want to see it happen, but we've got to be realistic about the prospect."
Rugby-mad Christchurch is one of the main venues for the seven-week competition, and is slated to hold two quarter-finals on October 8 and 9.
Start of sidebar. Skip to end of sidebar.
End of sidebar. Return to start of sidebar.
But Tuesday's earthquake reduced much of the city centre and some suburbs to ruins. Although AMI Stadium has only minor damage, the pitch has been hit by liquefaction, when soil becomes a quagmire because of the ground's shaking.
Stadium officials also reported serious damage around the venue, which is just two kilometres from the rubble-strewn city centre - where Christchurch's biggest hotel is tottering and in danger of collapse.
On Saturday, engineers said as much as a third of the central district, where office buildings folded like packs of cards and entire streets lost their shop frontages, may be demolished and rebuilt.
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