Covid 19 coronavirus Delta outbreak: Māori Touch Nationals cancelled

Māori Touch Nationals at Puarenga Park in 2017. Photo / NZME

The 2021 Māori Touch Nationals, scheduled to take place in Rotorua in December, have been cancelled.

Māori Touch NZ chair Terama Broughton-Winterburn said they met last week with the Rotorua Touch Association to discuss the tournament following many emails and messages from whānau throughout Aotearoa seeking clarity on the status of the event.

"After considering the current information relating to Covid-19, and the Delta outbreak within New Zealand at this time, our komiti has decided that cancelling the tournament was the most appropriate decision.

"The current alert level restrictions have made it impossible for all players, referees, whānau and volunteers to be involved. Equally, organising a national tournament that did not allow for participation from all of Aotearoa, didn't sit right with us," Broughton-Winterburn said.

"We know many will be disappointed by this news, as are we. However, we believe it is in the best interest of all whānau to stay local at this time and support the co-ordinated efforts to reduce the impact of Delta on our communities.

"It is with this in mind, that we encourage you to get vaccinated. Simply put, this is our best protection against both Covid-19 and the ongoing impact the pandemic will have on our tournament moving forward."

Broughton-Winterburn said they also encouraged whānau to explore what options were available in their rohe to be active.

"If rōpu can get together safely, and the local alert level restrictions allow for a few games, Karawhiua! In closing, we'd like to acknowledge the hard mahi of Rotorua Touch Association.

"Organising an event is a significant undertaking - navigating covid-19 would have made it even tougher. On behalf of all of our Māori Touch whānau, he mihi maioha ki a koutou. We look forward to continuing this partnership in 2022. Nō reira, kia haumaru, kia manaaki tonu tātou i a tātou."