North-South match to go ahead in Wellington without fans
WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — The North vs. South match, one of the high points of New Zealand’s lean domestic rugby season, has been moved from Auckland to Wellington because of a COVID-19 outbreak in New Zealand’s largest city.
Auckland is under Level 3 restrictions which prohibit public gatherings and major sports events as officials work to contain the small outbreak; there were five new cases reported Wednesday.
Wellington is subject to Level 2 lockdown regulations, under which the match can be played, though without spectators. Initially scheduled for Aug. 29, the game featuring New Zealand’s top players vying for All Blacks selection this year, will now be play on Sept. 5.
“We’re delighted the match can go ahead in Wellington,” New Zealand Rugby spokesman Chris Lendrum said. “But obviously it’s a shame that it’ll have to be played without fans in the stands.
“Having said that, we’re fully supportive and understanding of the government’s health and safety recommendations regarding COVID-19.”
The North vs. South match was a regular part of New Zealand’s domestic rugby calendar from 1897 until 1996 when rugby became professional and it was hard to find a place for the fixture in a crowded schedule. It was reinstated for a year in 2012.
New Zealand Rugby revived the match this season because of the cancellation of the full Super Rugby tournament and traditional mid-year test matches. It now follows the highly successful Super Rugby Aotearoa tournament which involved New Zealand’s five Super Rugby teams.
The reinstated match has some significance as an All Blacks trial as new head coach Ian Foster prepares to selection his first New Zealand team. Foster became national coach in December, succeeding Steve Hansen, who stepped down from the role after last year’s World Cup.
It is still unclear whether the All Blacks will play any tests in 2020. New Zealand is slated to host the four-nations Rugby Championship but that seems increasingly unlikely and a series of Bledisloe Cup tests against Australia has yet to be confirmed.
The North vs. South match will be played for the Loving Cup, the prize that went to the winner until 1932 before disappearing. The trophy was thought lost for the past 88 years but was recently found in a basement at Auckland’s Eden Park stadium.
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