Hurricanes Poua have been forced to pull out of the historic opening round of Super Rugby Aupiki due to Covid cases in their squad and the isolation requirements that come with it.
New Zealand Rugby announced on Monday afternoon the match between Hurricanes Poua and the Blues scheduled to be played in Hamilton on Thursday was cancelled as the Wellington franchise couldn't field a team.
As a result, the two sides will share competition points.
New Zealand Rugby General Manager of Professional Rugby and Performance Chris Lendrum said while it was tough news it was the only option.
“This is obviously not how we wanted to see the opening day of Super Rugby Aupiki play out, but player wellbeing is the number one priority so while it was a tough decision for the Hurricanes, it was a necessary one," Lendrum said.
"Our thoughts and support are with the Poua players and management in this tough time."
Hurricanes CEO Avan Lee said he was gutted for the squad.
“So much hard work has gone into Super Rugby Aupiki. We are devastated that the team can’t take the field for Round 1, but we simply didn’t have the numbers to make up our 23. This is the reality and nature of Covid," Lee said.
“Player wellbeing is paramount at this point. Those who are not isolating are continuing with their training and are including the isolating players in Zoom activities to keep everyone connected and raring to go.”
It comes after the Hurricanes' men's team confirmed earlier Monday they too were dealing with Covid-19 cases in their environment.
The other Super Rugby Aupiki match between Chiefs Manawa and Matatū is set to go ahead on Thursday at 7pm in Hamilton.
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