NZ Rugby postpones North versus South match until September 5

If NZ Rugby can’t stage the North versus South game on September 5 the fixture will be canned, potentially denying it a windfall of around $1 million.

NZ Rugby announced Friday the inter-island fixture, originally slated to be played at Eden Park in Auckland on August 29, had been postponed.

The Government’s decision to place Auckland in alert level 3 lockdown following the recent outbreak of the virus in the city, and the rest of New Zealand in level 2, has forced NZ Rugby to scramble for a solution as it tries to launch a game that will rake in some much-needed money after the pandemic threw its international calendar into disarray.

NZ Rugby still hopes to play the match at Eden Park, which could reap about $1 million if the 43,000-capacity stadium is sold out, but acknowledges any decision will be determined by the alert levels

Fans will only be allowed to gather for games at alert level 1. The alternatives are to play the game with no fans at Eden Park, or shift it to the smaller Sky Stadium in Wellington where fans may or may not be permitted to attend.

“There is a scenario where the game could be played without crowds at level 2, but it is going to depend on the position of the entire country in all likelihood,’’ NZ Rugby General Manager Professional Rugby and Performance Chris Lendrum said.

“So, no, we don’t have a decision on a venue. We will see what Monday brings, when the Government revises or extends the current levels.’’

One thing is certain. NZ Rugby isn’t prepared to extend the deadline beyond September 5 because it wants to have all its top players available for the opening round of Mitre 10 Cup on September 11-13.

“We want the Mitre 10 Cup to go ahead and have the best players that can be available … for that round one,’’ Lendrum noted.

“The key information for the moment is we don’t believe we can push North v South back beyond the weekend we have identified.’’

The fact NZ Rugby is still positive about playing Bledisloe Cup games against the Wallabies, and later the Rugby Championship tournament in New Zealand, also means they want to get the North v South fixture out of the way.
The Government has said the current alert levels will remain in place until Wednesday.

If Auckland continues to be stuck at alert level 3, there is potential for NZ Rugby to have another crack at the “normal exemption process’’ to seek approval for Auckland-based players and management to assemble in Wellington to train.

An earlier application filed this week, for 14 Auckland-based players and five support staff to be allowed to leave the city to gather in Wellington from Monday, was declined.

“Only for life-threatening circumstances, for business exemptions the threshold is very, very high,’’ Lendrum said when explaining why NZ Rugby had its application turned down.

“We haven’t met the threshold which is frustrating for everyone involved in the game and the fans, but we totally accept the decision.

“We are not frustrated at the decision. We are just frustrated we can’t play the game - yet.’’

Lendrum confirmed that if NZ Rugby was unable to get players and management released from Auckland it’s possible that will force the game to be cancelled. Bringing in other players wasn’t an option.

“The thinking this week is that ‘no, that wouldn’t be the right thing to do’. It wouldn’t do justice to the fixture, it wouldn’t be the preference of the people participating or the fans.