Hurricanes unsure if they’ll go to Dunedin
NZ Rugby still working through options after Covid alert levels reinstated this week
Hurricanes coach Jason Holland would have no problem with players electing to sit out this weekend’s Super Rugby Aotearoa match against the Highlanders.
Both teams are set to square off in Dunedin tomorrow night, but the game going ahead remains unclear due to the latest outbreak of community transmission of Covid-19.
Currently, the country — outside of Auckland’s boundaries — sits at alert level 2 which would allow the game to go ahead, most likely without a crowd, while Auckland is at level 3, which would see Sunday’s Blues v Crusaders clash cancelled.
Holland says players have not yet spoken out yet about being reluctant to play. If they do, he understands.
“If people had worries, then we understand the person behind the decision. At the moment there’s been nothing like [that] and we’ve got really good trust in firstly our CEO and our board, and then the Government and New Zealand Rugby to make really good decisions. We’ve had no boys who don’t want to play for those reasons.”
New Zealand Rugby is yet to make a decision on this weekend’s action, although the sold-out Eden Park game on Sunday appears doomed.
Holland says there was still a lot of “grey” around the situation, but hoped for more information last night.
“It’s definitely strange, the last six or seven months have taught us that we got to be positive around everything we do and just be ready to do everything as well as we possibly can when we get the opportunity.
It’s definitely strange. Everyone
in New Zealand’s had to put up with strange things and we just got to get on with it as best we
can. Hurricanes coach Jason Holland
“Everyone in New Zealand’s had to put up with strange things and we just got to get on with it as best we can.”
Jackson Garden-Bachop, who has been named to start in the 10 jersey, described the situation as “peculiar”.
“This stuff with Covid is another hurdle to get over. Obviously going through lockdown, it was always a chance it could come back, but the boys are handling it well.”
Holland says the team had managed to stay focused on the task that remained, for the meantime, at hand following a couple of training sessions.
“For the last three or four games, we’ve had a real focus on ourselves and wanting to play really good footy, and I think by and large, we’ve done that. While the Crusaders have done the job, we still have a bit of pride around what we put out.
“There’s still second up for grabs.”