Invercargill night games could enable Super Rugby

Invercargill could host night games as part of New Zealand Rugby’s radical plan to keep Super Rugby Pacific on schedule.

It is understood today is D-Day at national headquarters as Super Rugby finalises its plan to keep the five New Zealand teams and Moana Pasifika in a bubble to minimise the possibility of an Omicron outbreak disrupting the season.

The favoured idea, reported by The New Zealand Herald on Friday, is to get the teams to Queenstown — as soon as next week — to form a temporary base for living and training for several weeks.

Games could be played in the resort but only in daylight hours.

The Otago Daily Times understands Rugby Park, in Invercargill, could be used for night games, essential to fulfil commitments to the licensed broadcaster.

Teams would travel by bus from Queenstown to Invercargill, play under lights, and return by bus that night.

Crowds are not an issue — under the Red light setting, gatherings are restricted to 100 people — so it is merely a matter of playing the games at a controlled, low-risk venue.

"We’re committed to trying to play the schedule out as it stands. We’re working on the basis we won’t have crowds in our stadia so it’s important our fans can still be part of the competition by viewing it on television," NZR head of professional rugby Chris Lendrum said at the weekend.

The six teams would together bring about 300 people to Queenstown, to be housed separately in a bid to avoid a mass outbreak.

Before the Super Rugby Pacific season physically starts on February 18, the Highlanders have to get some pre-season action under their belts.

They are playing the Crusaders behind closed doors at Weston, near Oamaru, on Friday. That game was scheduled to kick off at 5.30pm but might be brought forward.

The Highlanders were scheduled to play Moana Pasifika in Queenstown a week later, but that game was cancelled. The teams were trying to find an alternative location.

--  hayden.meikle@odt.co.nz

 

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