New Zealand Rugby (NZR) is continuing to work on contingency plans for the North versus South match, with the squads named for the match to assemble in Wellington to prepare for the fixture.
NZR General Manager Professional Rugby and Performance Chris Lendrum said NZR was still hoping the match could be played in Auckland on August 29, but was also making contingency plans to stage the match at Sky Stadium in Wellington on the same day.
“New Zealand Rugby is currently working through the Government’s normal exemption process to seek approval for the Auckland-based players and management to assemble in Wellington from next Monday,’’ Lendrum said.
An outbreak of Covid-19 in Auckland has forced the Government to put the city into lockdown under alert level 3. The rest of the country has been placed under alert level 2.
The Government has stated the alert levels will remain in place until August 26.
The squads for the North v South match will be announced midday Tuesday and it’s hoped all players be able to meet in Wellington on Monday next week.
If the Government approves NZ Rugby’s request to allow the Auckland players to gather in Wellington it will enable the squads to train and formulate game plans under their respective coaching groups.
Brad Mooar and Greg Feek will coach South, while John Plumtree and Scott McLeod will be in charge of the North team.
“With Auckland at Alert Level 3 until midnight on Wednesday 26 August, the squads will now assemble in Wellington to prepare for the match,’’ Lendrum noted.
A final decision on the venue for the match will be made following the Government’s review of Covid-19 levels on Friday.
In the event that the match can’t go ahead in Auckland, ticket holders will be refunded.
Under alert level three there is no chance of playing any contact sport. Last weekend’s Super Rugby Aotearoa match between the Blues and Crusaders, to be played at Eden Park in Auckland, was cancelled because of the lockdown.
Crowds can only attend sports fixtures under alert level 1.
A game could be played – as the Highlanders and Hurricanes did in Dunedin last weekend – under alert level 2 but fans won’t be permitted to attend.
The North versus South match will be selected on the basis that the players must represent the island where they earned their first-class cap, instead of where they first played club rugby.
This has not been without controversy. It means star All Blacks utility back Jordie Barrett is set to represent the South Island because he earned his first provincial cap with Canterbury.
Older brother, Beauden, will play for the North Island because he earned his strips for his home province Taranaki.
Proud Northlander and All Blacks centre Jack Goodhue is set to represent the South Island because he played for Canterbury before re-signing for the province in the winterless north.
Damian McKenzie is expected to be named in the North Island squad, despite hailing from Southland and attending secondary school in Christchurch because he was signed by Waikato as a teenager.
New All Blacks coach Ian Foster and fellow selector will be eager for the match to go ahead as they try to plan for the 2020 season, even though there is no certainty the Bledisloe Cup and Rugby Championship tests will be played because of the pandemic.
