Coronavirus: Crowds to return for opening round of Super Rugby Aotearoa

Super Rugby Aotearoa will kick off in with fans in the stands this weekend, after the announcement that New Zealand will move to COVID-19 Alert Level 1 almost immediately.

Last week, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern stated that mass gathering restrictions would be removed altogether at Level 1, which has now been confirmed to begin at midnight June 8.

Super Rugby Aotearoa will become the first professional rugby competition in the world to have fans return live and en masse.

"We're incredibly proud and grateful to be the first professional sports competition in the world to be in a position to have our teams play in front of their fans again," says New Zealand Rugby chief executive Mark Robinson.

"It's going to be a very special and unique competition, and it's fitting that New Zealanders now have a chance to be part of it."

NZ Rugby has also confirmed the new kickoff times of 7:05pm and 3:35pm for the Saturday and Sunday fixtures respectively.

"With the return of community sport, we wanted to give our many fans involved in Saturday sport time to finish up their games, get ready to head out and then across town to our venues," says NZR head of professional rugby Chris Lendrum.

"We’re excited to be able to provide some daytime Sunday rugby in 2020."

Franchises have been preparing to welcome crowds back into their respective home stadiums for the revised, 10-week domestic competition, where QR codes will be put in place for contract tracing under a new 'COVID code'. 

The Blues have announced that general admission tickets are on sale for as little as $20 for their match against the Hurricanes at Eden Park on Sunday, while children will be admitted free with a paying adult.

Tickets are now also available for the Highlanders clash with the Chiefs at Forsyth Barr Stadium on Saturday at standard rates.

Highlanders chief executive Roger Clark says the franchise is "buzzing" at the opportunity to host the first professional rugby crowd since the COVID-19 pandemic shut down the sporting world.

"The world will be watching, and we will be ready to put on a show," Clark says.

Crusaders chief executive Colin Mansbridge stresses the importance of having fans through the gates, not only from a financial standpoint, but for the sake of fan engagement.

"There is commercial benefit, but probably more important for us is this concept of connection," Mansbridge tells Newshub. "Being able to get fans back connected with players."

Netball's ANZ Premiership will likely also open the doors to the public at Mt Wellington's Auckland Netball Centre - where all games will be played - when the competition restarts on June 19.

New Zealand's National Basketball League, which will use Waitakere's Trusts Stadium as its venue headquarters, will surely follow suit when its tips off June 23.

Community sport can also begin without any size or distancing restrictions.

 

Coronavirus: Crowds to return for opening round of Super Rugby Aotearoa