HELP!

I have been consulting Google maps all afternoon. The novel is finished, or at least the third draft is finished, except when i read the draft I find I have some serious gaps in my knowledge of vital spots in the locality.

The lead up to C.J. Spencer's demise is this. There is a charity rugby match between Canterbury and Otago Veterans. Men in their forties playing a match to raise money to rebuild AMI stadium. His nine year old son is going to kick off and so C.J.is taken to the venue in a mobility van to watch. After the match the van is stolen by some hooligans and driven down S.H.1 on a pub crawl. It will probably come to grief on the bridge over the Rakaia. near Hinds. End of a nasty character.

But, not being a drinker, I have no idea what pubs there are en route. I know the towns, Burnham, Rolleston, Dunsandel, Leeston, but I haven't the foggiest what the pubs are like.

Now, if anyone knows something that will give one or more of these stopping places character please post a response, A sharp, narrow entrance to the car park, a mounted trout above the bar, a moth eaten stag head,historic photographs of the area, a licensee who doesn't like selling beer, anything relevant that will round out the scene please tell me about it. Just a few words would help.

And if you should be familiar with a rugby ground near Christchurch which could host a large charity match please tell me. The venues I have found on Google are either too far away or look like a farmer's paddock with a collection of tin sheds on it.

People sent me some wonderful suggestions for C.J.'s actual death, including one from India suggesting a knife fight. At the moment the driver loses control when one of his drunk mates spews inside the van. Thanks DHJS, you gave details that nearly sent me into the same state, but that is what will be in the book.