Players gutted, but they know it is for the best

OUT WALKING IN THEIR BUBBLE: Cairns family members get some fresh air while exercising the dogs. They are (from left) Eilish with Izzy, Tom, and Keeley with Bella. Picture by Paul Rickard

PLAYERS and management of the Poverty Bay rugby team are deeply disappointed that the Heartland Championship has been cancelled this year, but are philosophical about it.

“At the end of the day it is for the greater good,” Bay coach Tom Cairns said.

“I was disappointed personally, and so were the guys — the players and the other members of our team management group.

“The feedback I've received from some of them clearly indicates that.

“But we're all philosophical about it.”

Cairns said everyone had to understand that the Covid-19 crisis had put everyone in a unique position.

“It is what it is in terms of the championship cancellation.

“The decision has been made for the greater good of the game, and the community as a whole, and we understand that.”

The management group supported the decision made by the Heartland unions, including Poverty Bay, and would support the union in getting rugby back on track when the crisis had passed, Cairns said.

Like the Ngati Porou East Coast union, the Poverty Bay union hoped to see something happen around representative rugby later in the year.

“We can always live in hope; we are positive people,” Cairns said.

“We'd certainly like to see something happen with rep rugby if it's possible.”

He and the other management team members had done a fair bit of planning for the championship before the lockdown, he said.

“We started visiting clubs before this crisis, touching base with coaches and so on.

“When the lockdown is over we will try to continue that work. It's an evolving situation.”

Cairns, his wife Rachel and their three daughters — Breeann (18), who is back from university, Keeley (15) and Eilish (13) — make up the family “bubble”.

“The girls are all doing school or university work and Rachel and I are both working from home as well as we can,” Cairns said.

“I've also managed to get some painting done on the house.”

He said they were spending most of their time in their home.

“Staying at home . . . that's a good message for the community.

“We go out for walks around our neighbourhood, and we've been to the supermarket a couple of times, but the rest of the time we're at home. We stay in our bubble.

“If everyone gets it right, we may get a bit of rugby and other sport this year after all.

“Do everything right and hopefully we will all come out of it at the other end all right.”