Former All Black Zac Guildford will be unavailable for the Magpies ITM Cup Championship semifinal against Bay of Plenty at Napier's McLean Park tomorrow for personal reasons.
However, Hawke's Bay Rugby Union CEO Mike Bishop said Guildford would be available for the final should the Magpies beat the Steamers.
Guildford's
battle with alcohol-related issues have been well documented in the past but Bishop said the Napier Boys' High School product who has played 77 first class games for the Bay since his 2007 debut has done his best for the Magpies since returning from France earlier this year.
The former Crusaders and Hurricanes Super player will return to Super Rugby after a two-season absence with the Sydney-based Waratahs next year and is contracted to the Magpies for the 2016 ITM Cup season.
Earlier this year Guildford said he wanted to use his Waratahs stint as a stepping stone back to a New Zealand-based Super franchise. On December 5 he is scheduled to fight Bachelor NZ star Art Green at the Fight for Life charity boxing event in Hamilton.
