New Zealand Rugby announces details of new domestic competition

New Zealand Rugby has announced details of its new Super Rugby Aotearoa competition that will feature five teams:  the Blues, Chiefs, Hurricanes, Crusaders and Highlanders.

With the New Zealand Government last month advising rugby and netball would be able to resume at Level 2 of the nation’s alert system, New Zealand Rugby last week revealed its five team domestic competition - to run over 10-weeks - featuring the Super Rugby franchises.

The new-look competition is due to kick off on 13th June when the Highlanders play the Chiefs at Forsyth Barr Stadium in Dunedin, while the Blues will take on the Hurricanes at Eden Park in Auckland on the following day.

While all fixtures had been due to be held in closed stadia, New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern revealed today that a potential move to Level 1 of the nation’s lockdown regulations could see crowds able to attend.

Speaking on Newstalk ZB, Prime Minister Ardern said a likely move to Level 1 on 10th June.

With Super Rugby Aotearoa due to kick off three days later, Crusaders Chief Executive Colin Mansbridge later told Newstalk ZB that the original guidelines at that level had no restrictions on gatherings and plans were in place to have crowds for home games.

Mansbridge explained "in the current rules that were issued as we started going into lockdown, it didn't say anything about crowd limitation in level one. I think (the Prime Minister) has to clarify with cabinet what they are going to be.

"On the assumption that it's the same as what was issued previously, we've sort of done some planning as if we are going to have crowds.”

Mansbridge said changes would have to be made such as the ticketing process where every person seated at the game would need to provide their contact details – while special awareness will have to be considered.

He added "I think once the gates are open, you might find the first game or two, assuming there's not too much anxiety in the community, that people will want to turn up and maybe the will want to sit close next to people."

Prime Minister Ardern later advised that the New Zealand Government is currently working with stadia and ticketing agencies on a ‘COVID code’ designed to grant greater contract tracing at large events.

She explained “all gatherings of any size can occur. However, we’re working with ticketing agencies and large scale event organisers on a ‘COVID code’, through which contact details are collected so we can keep track of people at large gatherings in the event that we need to follow them up for contact tracing.

“For larger events it is a matter of preparedness for us. We might confident we’re in an environment where we do not have COVID in circulation. But if we have a situation where even one case develops, and it’s found that person had been in attendance at a large event, we always have to be prepared to be able to contact trace successfully.

“This is why we want to work alongside those who organise events, large sporting events, music events and work with ticketing agencies so they have information available for short periods of time to help us with contact tracing.”

Images: New Zealand Super Rugby team jerseys at the 2020 season launch (top) and New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern (below, courtesy of Shutterstock).