NOTE: The announced changes do not affect the draw for any Round 2 matches played in Australia.
The revised draw for Round 2 is:
Friday 25 February – 19:05 NZT - Highlanders v Crusaders – Forsyth Barr Stadium Dunedin
Saturday 26 February – 19:05 NZT – Blues v Hurricanes – Forsyth Barr Stadium Dunedin
Sunday 27 February – 15:35 NZT – Chiefs v Moana Pasifika – Queenstown Recreation Reserve (Wakatipu Rugby Club)
Moana Pasifika’s first round match against the Blues was postponed when the squad was forced into isolation at their Queenstown hotel on Wednesday 9 February after members of their group tested positive for COVID-19 last Friday.
The first cohort of Moana Pasifika players and management were approved by New Zealand Public Health to leave isolation today and resume training.
New Zealand Rugby (NZR) will continue to work with Moana Pasifika to ensure players have adequate time to safely prepare for their rescheduled match against the Chiefs. Player safety and wellbeing will be the number one priority as the team returns to training.
Moana Pasifika’s Round 2 match against the Chiefs, which was originally scheduled to be played in Dunedin at 7.05pm on Friday, 25 February, will now be played two days later in Queenstown, with a 3.35pm kick-off time.
NZR General Manager Professional Rugby and Performance Chris Lendrum said:
“It is great to see Moana Pasifika coming out of isolation and the squad continue to follow all health advice as they return to training. We are not able to discuss details of Moana Pasifika’s COVID cases but the new schedule for Round 2 provides Moana Pasifika with the best possible opportunity to prepare for a return to play.
“We are also continuing to work with our joint venture partners Rugby Australia, and our broadcasters to reschedule the postponed first round match between the Blues and Moana Pasifika and will make an announcement in due course.”
The revised Round 2 schedule also means the Highlanders v Crusaders has moved forward 24 hours, while the Blues v Hurricanes match also shifts forward one day, with a change of venue and kick-off time, from 3:35pm in Queenstown, to 7.05pm in Dunedin.