Super Rugby coaches have urged the need to tweak the laws of the game in order to make the sport fairer and more entertaining for fans. Video / Sky Sport
With the latest outbreak of Covid-19 in Melbourne - and New Zealand's strict quarantine regulations unlikely to be relaxed soon - rugby bosses may be forced to change their Super Rugby Aotearoa plans. And, as Liam Napier reports, not everyone is happy about the alternative.
A third Super Rugby Aotearoaround is the preferred contingency should continued trans-Tasman bubble delays force New Zealand and Australia to scrap plans for a cross-border competition this year.
Last November New Zealand and Australian rugby jointly trumpeted plans to stage 26 matches on both sides of the Tasman, with each country's five Super Rugby teams scheduled to play each other once from May 14 until June 12. A final is scheduled for June 19.
Each team is supposed to play two home and two away games, while plans also include a 'Super Round' where all matches in round three are staged in one location, over one weekend.
Such a scenario, however, was always ambitious in the volatile Covid-19 climate and ultimately contingent on quarantine-free travel between the two nations that, to this point, seems unlikely to eventuate by May.
With New Zealand's two-week quarantine expected to remain in place for much of this year, until the country's population is vaccinated and protected against the virus, and as flare-ups in both nations delay the much-touted trans-Tasman bubble, the crossover competition appears increasingly problematic.
New Zealand's managed isolation facilities are also already booked out until June, with exceptions only granted to essential workers.
The Crusaders celebrate winning Super Rugby Aotearoa last year. Photo / Photosport
NZ and Australian rugby remain hopeful their cross-border competition will get off the ground but the Herald understands asking All Blacks to quarantine twice in a year is considered an unrealistic expectation.
Last December the All Blacks were forced to quarantine for two weeks after arriving home from the Tri Nations tournament in Australia, and with overseas tests scheduled again this year that scenario is likely.
This effectively rules out the prospect of staging the cross-border Super Rugby competition solely in an Australian hub.
After complications around training bubble sizes necessitated moving the Tri Nations tournament to Australia last year, the prospect of the government welcoming five Super Rugby teams to New Zealand appears similarly far-fetched.
As uncertainty prevails over the likelihood of a trans-Tasman bubble with all Australian states, NZ Rugby is therefore preparing contingency options.
The Herald understands the preferred fallback option, should quarantine-free travel to Australia remain off the table, is to stage a third Super Rugby Aotearoa round in the same six-week cross-border window.
The five Kiwi teams are scheduled to play each other home and away from February 26 to May 1.
In the absence of a cross-border competition with their Australian counterparts, staging a third round would be the most cost-effective alternative and it appeals to the New Zealand franchises as they would gain more additional home fixtures.
It would, however, involve coaches carefully managing workloads throughout the season, with the relentless physical toll of Kiwi derbies a major concern among players.
The furious nature of all-Kiwi Super Rugby derbies is a concern for players. Photo / Getty
A third Super Rugby Aotearoa round may see fringe squad players promoted to starting roles but interest is likely to dwindle compared to the start of the competition.
In a statement to the Herald, NZ Rugby head of tournament and competitions Cameron Good confirmed contingency planning was well under way.
"We remain hopeful of a safe travel zone forming with Australia prior to the start of Super Rugby trans-Tasman in mid-May but have noted the recent comments from Government on this," Good said.
"However, like many organisations we are looking at the contingency options with Sky and the Players' Association to ensure we are prepared should there not be unrestricted travel between New Zealand and Australia and to that end have discussed the contingency option of playing a third round of Super Rugby Aotearoa.
"We will be guided by the advice of health authorities and Government and appreciate it is a fluid environment.
"The health and safety of our teams will always be our main consideration."
