New Zealand's government has paved the way for a new temporary stadium in Christchurch after announcing it will underwrite the NZ$20m (£9.8m, EUR11.5m, US$15.7m) cost of the scheme.

Construction work at Rugby League Park will start this month in a bid to have the proposed 17,000-seat facility completed in March, ahead of the 2012 Super Rugby Season.

The temporary stadium will be operated by a trust and is expected to have a lifespan of three-to-five years, providing a home ground for the Crusaders and Canterbury rugby teams.

Crusaders was forced to play all its 2011 Super Rugby fixtures away from home after being forced to move out of the AMI Stadium due to February's earthquake.

In addition to central government investment, Christchurch City Council (CCC) has agreed to contribute NZ$1m (£492,000; EUR576,000; US$786,000) towards the project.

The New Zealand Rugby Union will also contribute financial support, while backing will also be sought from corporate sponsors and the Canterbury Earthquake Appeal Trust.

New Zealand Prime Minister John Key said: " Restoring the opportunity for Cantabrians to support their major sporting teams is an important part of the recovery and rebuilding of Christchurch.

"The announcement about the new stadium is fantastic news after it was decided a few months ago that the badly damaged AMI Stadium would be closed for all of 2012 as engineering assessments continue."

Image: A conceptual image of how the temporary stadium could look

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