Rugby among first sports to return

PROVINCIAL rugby will return next week.

Otago Rugby Union chief executive Richard Kinley confirmed New Zealand Rugby is set to recommence its three domestic competitions from September 17.

That follows a Zoom meeting between the unions last night shortly after it was announced the country, outside of Auckland, will drop to Alert Level 2 tomorrow.

More details, notably how that will look with Auckland in Alert Level 4 for at least another week, will be announced today.

It means the competition will restart without its three Aucklandbased unions, which will not be able to play under present restrictions.

Kinley was unable to provide further details and was unsure when Otago’s first game back would be.

However, he said he understood NZR would be working to get something in place by about noon.

The Auckland situation would cause potential problems for both the NPC and Farah Palmer Cup.

The departure of the Black Ferns for Europe in midOctober adds an extra time pressure for the FPC.

However, Kinley felt the fact the competition was well advanced — it had only two rounds left before the semifinals — would work in its favour.

The Auckland issue will not impact on the Heartland Championship, which returns following a year’s absence.

The secondtier provincial competition was scrapped last year, alongside the national under19 and sevens tournaments, to ease the financial burden of last year’s lockdown.

None of its teams are based in Auckland so it will be able to make a full return.

Football’s South Island league looks set to resume on September 18.

South City Royals coach Richard Murray said the indication was teams would get a weekend off to prepare, before completing the league.

The team had three matches remaining, as did the majority of teams in the league.

His players were excited to return to the field.

The Royals, just three points off secondplaced Coastal Spirit, remain a chance of finishing in the top two to progress to the national league stage.

The national phase of that league was still intended to begin in midOctober.

Football South is to hold a Zoom meeting today to determine the outlook of its other leagues.

Basketball Otago is yet to confirm what the reduced indoor gathering limit of 50 means for its club finals.

Game development manager Greg Brockbank said it would look into whether it was feasible.

However, it had been aiming for a September 18 return.

The country went into lockdown several days before the finals were set to be played.

Club hockey is in a similar situation, although retains the 100person gathering limit as it is an outdoor sport.

It is to hold meetings today to determine a plan. Dunedin Netball cancelled its finals last week.