New Zealand Prime Minister John Key believes it is important Christchurch remains a venue for this year's Rugby World Cup as a demonstration that the city is returning to its feet after yesterday's devastating earthquake.
Mr Key said today there had been no formal discussions on whether Christchurch would still be able to host World Cup games after yesterday's quake.
Christchurch is due to host seven matches during the tournament from September 9-October 23, including two quarterfinals.
World Cup rugby officials said earlier today it was too early to say whether the event would be disrupted by the 6.3 magnitude earthquake which killed at least 75 people and caused widespread destruction.
"If we could host the Rugby World Cup as we're intending to in Christchurch, I'd like to do that. It's some way into the future," Mr Key told reporters.
"It's a very important city to New Zealand and it would be a demonstration that Christchurch is back up on its feet.
"Then one of the issues may be accommodation. We know there's been substantial damage to hotels, so again that's something the Rugby World Cup Minister will be looking at."
Canterbury Rugby Union chief executive Hamish Riach has doubts whether Christchurch can host its fixtures after the deadly earthquake.
"Right now it doesn't feel like we could host very much at all," Riach told TVNZ.
"We've been looking forward to it (the World Cup) for five years and it's an event that promised so much for the city and the wider region and you'd certainly hope so.
"It's too early to say. Everyone is in the immediacy of this traumatic event and we're not quite getting our heads around that space just yet, but gosh I hope so but who knows?"
Riach said the managers of AMI Stadium were due to undertake an assessment of the stadium later today to check on potential damage.
Tournament organisers had contingency plans but would not speculate about the effect the quake would have on the World Cup, Rugby NZ 2011 communications manager Mike Jaspers said.
"Right at this moment it is too early to talk about any implications for the tournament. Right now all that has got to take a back seat while Christchurch deals with the aftermath of this tragedy.
"Our thoughts are very much with the people of the region. Any assessment must wait while rescue and recovery efforts take priority," he told NZPA last night.
His sentiments were echoed by the International Rugby Board in a statement saying its "thoughts and deepest sympathies" were with the people of Christchurch, adding that it was "inappropriate to comment on the status of the World Cup infrastructure or operations".
"The focus at this point must be on the emergency response," the IRB said.
Talks were to take place today to decide whether Saturday's Super 15 match between the Crusaders and the Hurricanes in Wellington would proceed.
The South African Rugby Union (SARU) wrote to the NZRU to express its condolences and offer solidarity with New Zealanders and their rugby community following the earthquake.
"Our rugby community feels a special bond to New Zealand and what has happened in Christchurch has been deeply felt here," said Oregan Hoskins, president of SARU.
