New Zealand Rugby have worked through a major reshuffle of Super Rugby Pacific matches this weekend as Covid continues to run rampant through its teams.
As first reported by the Herald, all three scheduled matches – Highlanders v Moana Pasifika (Friday), Crusaders v Blues (Saturday) and Hurricanes v Chiefs (Sunday) – have been postponed.
However, a reshuffle will now see the Chiefs play Moana Pasifika at Mt Smart Stadium on Saturday night in the only New Zealand-based match this weekend.
NZ Rugby and the chief executives of the six New Zealand-based teams held a call on Tuesday night to discuss options. After that call, it was agreed the Chiefs would step in to play Moana Pasifika and the Hurricanes would face the Crusaders.
Since then, however, further cases are understood to have affected the Crusaders squad, while despite having around eight positive Covid cases, the Chiefs will still play Moana Pasifika.
Chiefs director of rugby Warren Gatland confirmed the squad had been affected by Covid but remained confident in the team they will send to Mt Smart Stadium.
"We've been like everyone else, we've been affected by some Covid cases but we're confident we can put out a really strong and competitive team this weekend to play and we're looking forward to that," Gatland said.
"We're really happy at the moment at how competitive our training sessions are which gives us a huge amount of confidence and depth in our squad."
NZ Rugby is clearly conscious that Moana Pasifika have three fixtures – against the Hurricanes, Blues and Chiefs, to make up as mid-week games. Adding any more would seriously compromise the competitiveness of the new entrants.
NZR head of tournaments and competitions Cameron Good said several factors had factored into the decision to schedule the Moana Pasifika and Chiefs match.
"With three teams remaining we had to look at what was the best outcome for the competition and a key consideration was to ensure Moana Pasifika got back on the field again after having three matches postponed through the opening month of the season. This change also allows Moana Pasifika to catch up on their previously postponed round two match against the Chiefs.
"This has been a tough call on the Hurricanes who had initially been scheduled to play the Chiefs and I would like to acknowledge the Hurricanes for their understanding and cooperation in putting the competition first.
"The health of the Blues, Highlanders and Crusaders players and staff was the key consideration in withdrawing those teams from this weekend's matches."
NZR was confident four postponed matches could be rescheduled.
"We are looking at the schedule and believe there are opportunities to play those matches without major disruption to the draw and will announce details in due course."
The only positive news for Super Rugby Pacific is New Zealand preparing to welcome Australian travellers without any isolation requirements from April 12 – a move that will allow all transtasman sport to resume normality.
Such certainty also allows a larger window to reschedule the further postponed Super Rugby Pacific matches this weekend.
Good noted the government's announcement was a welcome boost.
"The easing of border restrictions allows New Zealand Rugby to plan with more certainty toward our teams traveling into the country later in the season, both for Super Rugby Pacific and for our international schedules.
"We are looking forward to our Super Rugby Pacific teams heading across the Tasman in April to play the Australian teams, notably for the Super Round in Melbourne over Anzac weekend, and also welcoming the Australian teams to New Zealand in May."
To retain some form of integrity, New Zealand teams are committed to doing everything they can to play postponed matches rather than sharing the points in draw scenarios.
