Local sport has been put on pause with the government’s snap nationwide lockdown having a major impact on winter sport.
The confirmation of a case in the community in Auckland has prompted Prime Minister Jacinda Adern to put the country into three days of level 4 lockdown while Auckland and the Coromandel will stay in level 4 for a full week.
That means the PIC Steelers and Counties Power Heat’s scheduled weekend games, in Nelson and in Hamilton respectively, are unlikely to go ahead.
The news is a blow for a number of Counties Manukau representative teams, while this Friday and Saturday’s respective boys’ and girls’ secondary school finals will also be postponed.
The Bayleys B’s had originally been scheduled to open their representative campaign on Saturday against Taranaki in New Plymouth, while the Counties Manukau U-19s were due to play North Harbour.
However, with Auckland expected to be in Level-4 until at least Wednesday, August 25, those matches will no longer go ahead. A decision on whether they will be cancelled or rescheduled will be confirmed in the coming days.
“We are waiting for confirmation from New Zealand Rugby about what the Government’s announcement means for the respective FPC and NPC competitions,” CMRFU CEO Aaron Lawton said.
“We are expecting an update in the next 24 hours and will look to notify our rugby community as soon as we have anything official to report.
“At this point in time, we are anticipating both our teams will have to remain in Auckland this weekend and that our respective matches will be postponed but nothing will be officially confirmed until we get some direction from NZR on Wednesday.”
Auckland Rugby League was set to run semi-final weekend in the SAS Fox Memorial Premiership and Fox Memorial Championship grades but those matches will not be able to be completed as scheduled.
The Pukekohe Netball Centre’s finals day, set for this Saturday, will now not be possible as well.
The Women’s NBL competition, being staged at Pulman Arena, has been paused for the rest of the week.
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