The second round Super Rugby Aotearoa match between the Crusaders and Hurricanes has been postponed by a day in a bid to allow fans to watch the game at Christchurch’s Orangetheory Stadium.
The match, originally scheduled for this Saturday night, has been delayed almost 24 hours until Sunday at 4.35pm, so fans can attend if the nationwide Covid-19 alert level is dropped to level one after the scheduled seven days.
Auckland was moved to Level 3 and the rest of New Zealand to Level 2 on Sunday morning with the restrictions in place until Saturday.
The Chiefs v Highlanders match in Hamilton will still be played on Friday, with no crowd as per Level 3 restrictions.
“Nobody wants to play in an empty stadium and the opportunity to move the match 24 hours seems like the right thing to do for the Crusaders, their fans, and their players,” NZR Head of Professional Rugby & Performance Chris Lendrum said.
The shifted fixture is the latest sporting contest to be rescheduled or moved, with the fifth and final T20 match on Sunday between the Black Caps and Australia moved from Mt Maunganui to Wellington.
Yesterday, the fourth doubleheader - with the White Ferns also facing England - at Eden Park was moved to Wellington because of Alert Level 3 restrictions in Auckland.
"The change has been forced on NZC because of logistical complications arising from the transfer of this Friday’s second double-header from Auckland to Wellington," NZ Cricket said in a statement.
NZ Cricket said Alert Level 2 restrictions mean all three double-headers in Wellington on Wednesday, Friday and Sunday will be played behind closed doors.
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