Triumphant Taradale after last year's Nash Cup final win over Hastings Rugby and Sports. Photo / File
Hawke's Bay club rugby's 2022 kick-off, which had been scheduled for this Saturday, has been postponed until April 15.
The decision was made at a Hawke's Bay Rugby Union rugby sub-committee meeting on Friday due to the continuing challenges of the Covid-19 crisis.
The Union hopes the deferment will enable
players, coaches, referees, and administrators to affected by the coronavirus and its variants to recover and complete isolation and undertake return-to-play protocols including allowing suitable pre-competition preparation and "pre-season" season matches to be played on the weekend of April 9, and possibly a week earlier.
The first weekend was to have involved only the Premier and Colts grades but the new start at Easter will feature also feature the Town and Country, Division 3 and Women's grades.
The opening games feature the first round of the Nash Cup Premier competition, with the trophy defended by Taradale. The competition also features debutants Aotea, from Dannevirke.
