The three Auckland-based sides will play no further part in the 2021 Farah Palmer Cup season, due to COVID-19 alert levels.
With the rest of the country under Alert Level 2, provincial rugby resumed last week - without Auckland, Counties Manukau and North Harbour, who were still stuck under Level 4 lockdown.
But with just one week left in the national women's competition regular season, the Auckland sides have accepted there isn't enough time for them to return.
The news is a bitter blow to Auckland and Counties in particular, who sit third and fourth respectively in the premiership standings.
"It's tough on the Auckland-based players, who desperately wanted to represent their provinces in the final weeks of the competition," says NZ Rugby community rugby general manager Steve Lancaster. "But after consulting with all parties, it was clear we could not extend the competition any later than we have already.
"We needed to provide certainty to all involved in the competition and ultimately pushing out the finals again, while the Auckland-based teams are unable to train or play, was just not feasible at this time."
If Wellington beat Bay of Plenty this weekend, a three-team finals series will take place over two weeks, with Waikato and Canterbury already sealing the premiership's top two placings.
Should Wellington lose, Waikato and Canterbury will play off in a straight final.
In the Farah Palmer Cup Championship, where Harbour sit third, the finals series will be made up of Manawatu, Northland and Hawke's Bay.
"While it's not the finish to the season we'd all hoped for, the positive is that we can look forward to some really meaningful fixtures over the next three weeks and a continuation of the exciting rugby we've seen throughout the season," Lancaster adds.
