Two unexpected bonuses have emerged from rugby's blatant disregard for cricket's use of major grounds in New Zealand during the forthcoming tour by England.

Three-day games scheduled against the two provincial associations celebrating their 125th anniversaries have been forced off their traditional venues in order to allow rugby's Super 12 games to be played.

In Christchurch that has meant a change of venue for the March 7-9 game with Canterbury from Jade Stadium, formerly known as Lancaster Park, to Hagley Oval, the third oldest ground in New Zealand. An earlier ground at Hagley Park was the second oldest venue in New Zealand.

English supporters who might have preferred a week in Dunedin for the match with Otago from March 2-4, which is being played three days after the last One-Day International, also in Dunedin, will now have the chance to see the Otago game at the jewel in New Zealand's tourism crown at Queenstown.

The game will be played at the Events Centre in Queenstown at the base of the picturesque Remarkables mountain range, a venue that if successful could become New Zealand's equivalent of Newlands in Cape Town with its view of Table Mountain.

The Queenstown venue has not hosted a first-class game yet but will be the venue for a State Shield one-day game in a few days time.

© CricInfo