COVID-19 outbreaks force more changes to New Zealand Super schedule

New Zealand will host only one Super Rugby Pacific match this weekend, organisers said on Wednesday (Mar 16), as COVID-19 outbreaks in local teams continue to play havoc with the schedule.

Mounting cases at the Auckland Blues, Otago Highlanders and Canterbury Crusaders squads have forced their round five fixtures to be postponed, leaving only Moana Pasifika to play the Waikato Chiefs at Mt Smart Stadium in Auckland on Saturday.

"Like many businesses around New Zealand we continue to deal with the disruptions of COVID on our people, and the health of the Blues, Highlanders and Crusaders players and staff was the key consideration in withdrawing those teams," New Zealand Rugby's (NZR) Head of Tournaments Cameron Good said in a statement.

A total of five postponed matches now need to be rescheduled but NZR said it remained confident it could find space later in the competition.

The original Round 5 schedule had the Highlanders hosting Moana Pasifika in Dunedin, the Blues playing the Crusaders in Christchurch, and the Wellington Hurricanes meeting the Chiefs in Wellington.

New Zealand has been averaging about 20,000 COVID-19 cases a day out of a population of 5 million, with hospitalisations and deaths low by global standards.

Australia's three Round 5 matches will go ahead as scheduled this weekend.

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