Super Rugby Pacific: Seven players from Moana Pasifika test positive for Covid-19, opening match against Blues postponed

There has been a Covid outbreak in the Moana Pasifika Super Rugby squad. Photo / Getty

The opening game of Super Rugby Pacific has been postponed as Covid-19 has arrived in the Super Rugby Queenstown bubble.

After it was revealed earlier in the week that a number of players were considered to be close contacts to cases in Auckland, positive tests have been returned.

New Zealand Rugby have confirmed seven players in the Moana Pasifika squad have tested positive for the virus, with their pre-season clash against the Highlanders on Saturday night cancelled and the season opening match against the Blues next Friday postponed.

Moana Pasifika decided to have the full squad take PCR tests on Thursday, after it was identified that a player, who trained with the squad on Monday morning prior to their departure to Queenstown on a charter flight, subsequently became a close contact. That player did not travel with the team.

Those tests, which were diverted to Dunedin and therefore delayed due to resources being committed to assessing the Queenstown outbreak, confirmed the positive cases today, and Moana Pasifika are now isolating in their Queenstown hotel.

All members of the other five New Zealand-based Super Rugby Pacific squads have tested negative for Covid-19 and will continue preparations for the start of the season, including pre-season fixtures in Queenstown this weekend.

A Blues player who was also identified as a close contact on Wednesday night returned a negative PCR test result on Thursday but continues to isolate in the team hotel following the advice provided by health authorities. All other members of the Blues travelling group have returned negative Rapid Antigen Tests and will play in a preseason match this weekend, with the Blues, Chiefs and Highlanders playing in a game of three halves on Saturday afternoon in their final pre-season outing. The Crusaders and Hurricanes will meet in a pre-season match as well.

NZ Rugby and their partners will now explore options for when to reschedule the postponed season opener, with a match between the Waratahs and Fijian Drua next Friday night now set to kick off the competition, while next Saturday the Chiefs are scheduled to play the Highlanders and the Crusaders to clash with the Hurricanes, Omicron permitting.

"Our thoughts are with the players who have tested positive, and our focus is on ensuring the have the full support of NZR as they deal with their situation," said NZR general manager of professional rugby Chris Lendrum. "We also share the disappointment of the Moana Pasifika players, coaches, staff and fans. We know how hard they have worked and how eager they are to get out on the field.

"However, we also remain confident Moana Pasifika can get through this period of isolation and join the Super Rugby Pacific season and will be doing everything we can to support them over the coming weeks."