By Brayden Lindsay

The South Canterbury Rugby Football Union have been forced to close the East Stand immediately.

The stand, located behind the goal posts at Alpine Energy Stadium, was deemed unsafe after testing on Tuesday.

A number of pieces of wood used for seating had begun to rot and some steel rods holding the stand up from underneath had started to corrode due to being underground.

It will be closed to fans for the rest of the club season and is unlikely to reopen in time for the representative season.

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The South Canterbury Rugby Football Union (SCRFU)  board will meet  later this month to decide the stand's future.

Following an inspection by structural engineers, the East Stand will be fenced off for safety reasons to prevent its use.

The report had just been received and as of Wednesday had not yet been reviewed by the SCRFU board.

SCRFU chairman Brent Isbister said closing the stand to the public was an easy decision.

"We were aware that the some of the wood seating was ageing and may have needed maintenance but we were surprised by the extent of underground corrosion in the footings, as found by the engineers.

"Our concern for the safety of spectators and players is paramount hence the decision to close the stand in the medium term" Isbister said.

The board will look into the report in more detail at its next meeting and decide what is best to do with the stand.

"SCRFU will need to consult with the Fraser Park Trust on the best course of action as this is a significant asset in the current Trust, being valued at approximately $0.5 million."

With the stand closed and an electronic scoreboard still around a month away, a new small standalone scoreboard will be made for the western end of the ground.

The East Stand was always a popular place for people to sit who enjoy watching rugby end on, rather than from the side. It has been around since the 1960s.