Club sport has been hit hard by the Covid-19 pandemic with winter codes postponed until April 18 at the earliest to avoid the spread of the coronavirus. Photo / File
New Zealand's national sporting bodies have postponed nearly all major sporting codes for weeks to combat the spread of Covid-19 coronavirus.
Announcements from New Zealand Rugby, New Zealand Football, Netball New Zealand, Hockey New Zealand, New Zealand Rugby League either on Tuesday or yesterday outlined how their respective codes would cease for the time being at all levels.
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All club and community rugby would be postponed until April 18 in a decision made by NZ Rugby on Tuesday night.
The announcement stipulated non-contact training could continue and full contact training would resume on April 13. Northland's premier, north zone, south zone and under-18 competitions had been set to start on March 28.
Northland Rugby Union chief executive Cameron Bell said it was business as usual regarding development and academy programmes as long as they adhered to NZ Rugby and Government advisories.
Northland's junior rugby competitions were set to start on May 2. Northland Junior Council chairwoman Kylie Harper said any junior rally days or preseason events had been cancelled or postponed.
Harper also said she would advise council members in a meeting last night to cease all junior training until April 18.
"This is a game at the end of the day and health comes before any game," she said.
Northland's women's rugby club competitions didn't start until May, however the national announcement meant any preseason tournaments or development days were cancelled or postponed.
Hockey New Zealand announced yesterday morning that all club, school and community hockey would be postponed until May 2.
Northland's senior hockey season was set to start this week, its premier competition would have started on April 25 and its juniors didn't start until May.
Hockey Northland chief executive Grant McLeod said the Northland hockey turf in Whangārei would be closed and training would not be allowed on the turf.
McLeod hoped if the postponement was lifted on May 2, the impact on club competitions would be minimal as the national body was considering rescheduling national tournaments to accommodate extended clubs seasons.
New Zealand Rugby League announced yesterday that all community rugby league competitions, tournaments and trainings run by affiliated members be postponed until May 2.
Rugby League Northland general manager Phil Marsh confirmed this meant the cancellation or postponement of the Sunday junior 'Mini Mods', a premier club nines tournament on April 4 and the premier club season which would have started on April 18.
"It is an extraordinary event that is happening so we don't want to be silly and keep playing footy if it's going to be detrimental to people's health and wellbeing," Marsh said.
In the Far North, the TaiTokerau Rugby League competition (TRL) had been postponed until the same date. It had been set to start next weekend.
On Tuesday, Netball NZ announced it delivered an advisory to affiliated members which outlined the postponement of all winter competitions until at least May 2.
Whangārei Netball Centre chairman Paul Cleary said in a statement all grading prior to May 2 would be cancelled along with any preseason programmes, tournaments, workshops and other community competitions.
NZ Football confirmed yesterday community football and futsal at all levels would be postponed until May 2 at the latest.
Regarding Northland, this included the club competition set to start in April and any tournaments or festivals. The announcement also advised training should be cancelled.
In accordance with New Zealand Cricket, the Northland Cricket Association (NCA) cancelled its remaining fixtures yesterday. This included all junior, youth and adult training sessions, matches and prizegivings.
The NCA also postponed the start of the indoor cricket season, set for the end of April, and the NCA fundraising day scheduled for March 27.
Whangārei's Cobham Cricket Club also cancelled two fixtures at Cobham Oval on March 22 and April 5.
In accordance with Bowls New Zealand, Bowls Northland has cancelled next week's President's tournament which would have attracted about 65 bowlers.
Bowls Northland president Trevor Reader said with the average age of Northland's bowlers in their 70s, he would be strongly advising all clubs to cancel their coming competitions for the foreseeable future.
Northland Golf Croquet president John Schollum said while a Doubtless Bay competition was set to go ahead this weekend, he would be strongly advising clubs to cancel any competitions in the foreseeable future.
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