The Blues are hunkering down in a Wellington hotel, awaiting Covid-19 test results, before attempting to take their Sky Super Rugby Aotearoa campaign on the road to Cambridge.
Following their opening-round 31-16 victory over the Hurricanes in the capital, the Blues swiftly swung into contingency mode after Prime Minster Jacinda Ardern sent Auckland back into Level 3 lockdown and the rest of the country into Level 2 restrictions until next Sunday.
Post-match all Blues players and management filled out an online questionnaire designed to ascertain whether they, or their family members, had visited places of interest.
After all taking Covid tests last week, the team went through a second round of testing on Saturday night.
On Sunday the squad continued to isolate at the InterContinental hotel, where they have a floor to themselves.
Blues chief executive Andrew Hore said no one from the group had displayed any illness symptoms during health checks but until negative tests were returned, they will stay within the hotel confines.
"We will remain out of Auckland once we're cleared and at this stage we're hopeful we will move to a facility in southern Waikato, one we can have on our own," Hore said on Sunday as he attempted to take precautionary measures and finalise the new training facility.
With the Blues now on a bye week, players will be permitted to take short-term leave should they return negative tests before reassembling later in the week at a temporary base, likely to be in Cambridge, as they are unable to train while Auckland remains in Level 3.
"Some of the players had plans for leave anyway and we've said that's fine. In comparison to most employers we've been extremely cautious so they can go and then we will reassemble at one of the locations we're investigating to make sure we can get our boys all in to train together."
The Blues are next scheduled to host the Highlanders at Eden Park on March 14.
Contingencies are being put in place for that match covering all possible level scenarios, with relocating the game firmly on the table.
Hore said Covid fallback options were agreed between the five franchises and New Zealand Rugby but it was inevitable the Blues would be the team most affected.
"We went so long without community transmission but we had to prepare for the worst. It was always going to happen to the Blues when you've got 18 MIQ units in Auckland.
"We were far more heightened to it – to the point the boys leave a packed bag in the team van. If we're going to be kicked out of Auckland for a couple of weeks we had the bag-packed scenario.
"We've been on high alert with this kind of thing coming to fruition and being ready to go so we could still compete."
Blues head coach Leon MacDonald. Photo / Photosport
Disruption caused by the latest outbreak could ultimately affect performance, with the Blues the only side currently impacted.
"We've shown the Blues can bounce back," Hore said. "You can sit there and cry as much as you want but the fact of the matter is it has happened so get on with it. No one cares."
Costs associated with the team spending an extra night in Wellington, and those attached to relocating the team, are mounting with agreement yet to be reached on who will foot the bill.
"It's fair to say people understand the position we're in. Our focus at this stage is finding that venue. We're logging this extra expense so those discussions are yet to be had. The main thing we all agree on is we need this competition to continue for so many reasons whether it be fans, broadcast, the integrity of the competition is our primary focus."
The Blues had their preseason fixture against the Crusaders at Eden Park, expected to attract 20,000 fans, cancelled after the Auckland's last snap three-day lockdown. Any further scrapped home matches will carry further significant financial implications.
"It will sting. The Blues have good ticket sales so let's hope it doesn't happen. We know even losing that preseason game had an impact. Particularly the way the team is performing we were hoping the wider Auckland region would come out in force."
