The Highlanders' travel plans up in the air after South Island weather caves in

  • 21/07/2017
The Highlanders' travel plans up in the air after South Island weather caves in
Photo credit: Getty Images

The Highlanders Super Rugby team is having difficulty getting to Christchurch for their quarter-final match against the Crusaders on Saturday evening.

The team's flight from Dunedin Airport on Friday night was cancelled and part of State Highway 1 between Dunedin and Christchurch is closed due to surface flooding.

A state of emergency has been declared in Timaru, to the south of Christchurch.

Team manager Greg O'Brien told Newshub the team was talking to Air New Zealand.

"We are hoping if the wind subsides we will get out," he said.

"Maybe tomorrow, not today."

Remaining flights out of Dunedin on Friday night are fully booked.

"Chances on changing the game to Dunedin? we got plenty of Speights and it's warm under the roof," Highlanders first five-eighth, Lima Sopoaga, tweeted.

Extreme weather is causing some disruption to flights, Dunedin Airport tweeted.

Newshub.