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NZ Rugby could move venue for North-South match

Crusaders flyhalf Richie Mounga on the charge against the Bues in Christchurch on 11 June 2020.

Crusaders flyhalf Richie Mounga on the charge against the Bues in Christchurch on 11 June 2020.

Kai Schwoerer/Getty Images

  • New Zealand’s North v South match could be moved from Auckland to Wellington.
  • This comes after stringent coronavirus-enforced restrictions in Auckland.
  • The two squads will be named on Tuesday, with the inter-island match scheduled for 29 August.

New Zealand Rugby (NZR) is considering an alternative venue for the North v South inter-island match on Saturday, 29 August.

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This comes after new coronavirus-enforced restrictions placed on the country.

Chris Lendrum, the NZR’s general manager of professional rugby and performance, said the governing body was still hoping the match could be played at Auckland’s Eden Park, but was also making contingency plans to stage it at Wellington’s Sky Stadium on the same day.

The squads for the North v South match will be announced on Tuesday and were due to assemble in Auckland next Monday.

However, Lendrum noted in  a press statement: “With Auckland at Alert Level 3 until midnight on Wednesday 26 August, the squads will now assemble in Wellington to prepare for the match.

“New Zealand Rugby is currently working through the government’s normal exemption process to seek approval for the Auckland-based players and management to assemble in Wellington from next Monday.

“A final decision on the venue for the match will be made following the government’s review of Covid-19 levels on Friday.”

Plans for the North v South match were originally made when domestic life was near-normal in New Zealand, with unrestricted crowds allowed at rugby matches.

The fixture was once one of the most anticipated and bitterly contested matches in the New Zealand rugby calendar but fell out of favour in the professional era.

It was revived after New Zealand’s home Tests against Wales and Scotland were cancelled due to the global pandemic, which has also left the Rugby Championship matches against Australia, South Africa and Argentina facing an uncertain fate.

In case the match cannot go ahead in Auckland, ticket holders will be refunded, the NZR concluded.

– Compiled by Sport24 staff

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