Super Rugby Pacific: Two NZ matches in doubt as Covid-19 cases spread

The Blues huddle during a preseason Super Rugby Pacific match. Photosport

Super Rugby Pacific is fast descending into a mess of increasing Covid cases and postponed matches after the Blues and Highlanders suffered further setbacks.

The Blues lost several players, including Beauden Barrett, Nepo Laulala and Sam Nock, prior to their victory against the Highlanders last Friday night.

On Tuesday, the Blues postponed media interviews as chief executive Andrew Hore confirmed Covid's inevitable further spread through their camp ahead of the headline match with the Crusaders in Christchurch on Saturday night.

"The Blues can confirm that Covid is further impacting our squad," Hore said in a statement. "We are currently working through the full impacts of this situation, including in regards to this week's fixture against the Crusaders.

"Both the Crusaders and New Zealand Rugby are fully aware of the current situation. We are not in a position to add any other details at this stage, but will be able to speak further on developments hopefully by tomorrow."

The Blues-Crusaders is the latest match shrouded in doubt after the Highlanders confirmed their Friday night fixture against Moana Pasifika in Dunedin remains under a cloud of Covid uncertainty.

The Highlanders have cancelled a training session. Photosport

A Highlanders spokesperson told the Otago Daily Times there were "a growing number of Covid cases across players and staff'' after they, too, had several players withdraw late last week.

As a precaution, the team had cancelled training and a media conference.

"At this point there has been no decision made on Friday's game," a spokesperson said.

A postponement would create more chaos for Moana Pasifika.

The Super Rugby new entrants have only played one game thus far this season and therefore already face a relentless schedule to catch up on three postponed games.

Moana Pasifika's matches against the Blues and Chiefs have been rescheduled as mid-week fixtures, while organisers need to find a spot on the calendar for their game against the Hurricanes which was meant to take place last Saturday in Wellington.

The Hurricanes could not assemble a squad after at least 20 Covid cases ripped through their team.

With trans-Tasman matches approaching next month and time fast running out to schedule more mid-week fixtures for Moana Pasifika in particular, NZ Rugby must be reaching the stage where postponements are no longer possible and draws will instead be required, with teams sharing the points.

Such a decision would not be taken lightly as it would come at huge financial costs from a broadcast perspective - likely to be seven-figure sums per game - and significantly damage the integrity of the competition.