Select Edition

Northern Northern
Southern Southern
Global Global
NZ NZ

NZR doctor explains why a positive coronavirus case won't halt Super Rugby Aotearoa

By Online Editors
(Photo by Hannah Peters/Getty Images)

Rugby’s return to action won’t be blighted by the vaccination row which has hit the NRL.

But don’t expect to see your favourite All Black socialising wildly when bars open next week.

While there will be no hard and fast rules around getting the flu vaccination, New Zealand’s Super Rugby players will face tougher Covid-19 bubble restrictions than the general population.

ADVERTISEMENT

New Zealand Rugby’s acting medical advisor Deb Robinson also said that the national Super Rugby competition which starts mid-June would not be halted by a positive test among the players.

The NRL is wrestling with the vaccination issue, after some players refused to get a jab. The matter is further complicated by different state guidelines in Australia.

Video Spacer

Scott Sio briefs media

Wallaby prop Scott Sio has offered his qualified support for a scrum clock to be trialled during a planned domestic competition in Australia.

Video Spacer

Scott Sio briefs media

Wallaby prop Scott Sio has offered his qualified support for a scrum clock to be trialled during a planned domestic competition in Australia.

Robinson, the former All Black doctor, said NZR was recommending the players and management get a vaccination.

One of the reasons is the importance of keeping everyone healthy – any sort of illness required testing and isolation.

“Our recommendation is that players and management get the vaccination but it is a personal choice and it is important they have informed consent,” she said.

“Sometimes people’s reluctance dates back to the idea they could get flu from it … [the aim is] to get as many players and management vaccinated as possible.”

ADVERTISEMENT

When asked what the ramifications were should a player test positive, Robinson said: “It is very situation-dependent, who it is, how they present, how many close contacts they’ve had, where they are, what part of the week, how many days they might have been in contact with people.

“I don’t think it will stymie the whole competition … of course the Ministry of Health and public health units would essentially look after all the contact tracing.

“If we were to get a positive test the system would work really well for us … that’s not to say we wouldn’t get a hiccup but I don’t think it would stop the competition.

ADVERTISEMENT

“We’ve asked the players to keep their personal bubbles smaller than what they would necessarily have done so in level 2 because that also decreases the risk of what comes into the environment. So we are holding them to slightly higher standards than the general public.”

As for community rugby, Robinson said it could restart using small units in training, but no crowds were allowed.

NZR chief executive Mark Robinson said rugby wanted to provide “leadership, hope and inspiration” for New Zealanders.

The NRL restart has been hit by player problems, most notably the close quarters partying antics of poster boy Nathan Cleary.

Mark Robinson said: “We want to do New Zealand proud – people around the world are following our lead.

“It’s critical we do it well.”

Mark Robinson said a trophy had not yet been created for the New Zealand Super Rugby competition.

NZR was committed to the women’s game but he could not give a timeline for a restart. It also wanted to get everything in order for hosting next year’s World Cup.

ADVERTISEMENT

Join free

Aotearoa Rugby Podcast | Episode 6

Sam Warburton | The Big Jim Show | Full Episode

Japan Rugby League One | Sungoliath v Eagles | Full Match Replay

Japan Rugby League One | Spears v Wild Knights | Full Match Replay

Boks Office | Episode 10 | Six Nations Final Round Review

Aotearoa Rugby Podcast | How can New Zealand rugby beat this Ireland team

Beyond 80 | Episode 5

Rugby Europe Men's Championship Final | Georgia v Portugal | Full Match Replay

Trending on RugbyPass

Comments

Join free and tell us what you really think!

Sign up for free
ADVERTISEMENT

Latest Features

Comments on RugbyPass

J
Jon 6 hours ago
Jake White: Are modern rugby players actually better?

This is the problem with conservative mindsets and phycology, and homogenous sports, everybody wants to be the same, use the i-win template. Athlete wise everyone has to have muscles and work at the gym to make themselves more likely to hold on that one tackle. Do those players even wonder if they are now more likely to be tackled by that player as a result of there “work”? Really though, too many questions, Jake. Is it better Jake? Yes, because you still have that rugby of ole that you talk about. Is it at the highest International level anymore? No, but you go to your club or checkout your representative side and still engage with that ‘beautiful game’. Could you also have a bit of that at the top if coaches encouraged there team to play and incentivized players like Damian McKenzie and Ange Capuozzo? Of course we could. Sadly Rugby doesn’t, or didn’t, really know what direction to go when professionalism came. Things like the state of northern pitches didn’t help. Over the last two or three decades I feel like I’ve been fortunate to have all that Jake wants. There was International quality Super Rugby to adore, then the next level below I could watch club mates, pulling 9 to 5s, take on the countries best in representative rugby. Rugby played with flair and not too much riding on the consequences. It was beautiful. That largely still exists today, but with the world of rugby not quite getting things right, the picture is now being painted in NZ that that level of rugby is not required in the “pathway” to Super Rugby or All Black rugby. You might wonder if NZR is right and the pathway shouldn’t include the ‘amateur’, but let me tell you, even though the NPC might be made up of people still having to pull 9-5s, we know these people still have dreams to get out of that, and aren’t likely to give them. They will be lost. That will put a real strain on the concept of whether “visceral thrill, derring-do and joyful abandon” type rugby will remain under the professional level here in NZ. I think at some point that can be eroded as well. If only wanting the best athlete’s at the top level wasn’t enough to lose that, shutting off the next group, or level, or rugby players from easy access to express and showcase themselves certainly will. That all comes back around to the same question of professionalism in rugby and whether it got things right, and rugby is better now. Maybe the answer is turning into a “no”?

35 Go to comments
j
john 8 hours ago
Will the Crusaders' decline spark a slow death for New Zealand rugby?

But here in Australia we were told Penney was another gun kiwi coach, for the Tahs…….and yet again it turned out the kiwi coach was completely useless. Another con job on Australian rugby. As was Robbie Deans, as was Dave Rennie. Both coaches dumped from NZ and promoted to Australia as our saviour. And the Tahs lap them up knowing they are second rate and knowing that under pressure when their short comings are exposed in Australia as well, that they will fall in below the largest most powerful province and choose second rate Tah players to save their jobs. As they do and exactly as Joe Schmidt will do. Gauranteed. Schmidt was dumped by NZ too. That’s why he went overseas. That why kiwi coaches take jobs in Australia, to try and prove they are not as bad as NZ thought they were. Then when they get found out they try and ingratiate themselves to NZ again by dragging Australian teams down with ridiculous selections and game plans. NZ rugby’s biggest problem is that it can’t yet transition from MCaw Cheatism. They just don’t know how to try and win on your merits. It is still always a contest to see how much cheating you can get away with. Without a cheating genius like McCaw, they are struggling. This I think is why my wise old mate in NZ thinks Robertson will struggle. The Crusaders are the nursery of McCaw Cheatism. Sean Fitzpatrick was probably the father of it. Robertson doesn’t know anything else but other countries have worked it out.

33 Go to comments
A
Adrian 10 hours ago
Will the Crusaders' decline spark a slow death for New Zealand rugby?

Thanks Nick The loss of players to OS, injury and retirement is certainly not helping the Crusaders. Ditto the coach. IMO Penny is there to hold the fort and cop the flak until new players and a new coach come through,…and that's understood and accepted by Penny and the Crusaders hierarchy. I think though that what is happening with the Crusaders is an indicator of what is happening with the other NZ SRP teams…..and the other SRP teams for that matter. Not enough money. The money has come via the SR competition and it’s not there anymore. It's in France, Japan and England. Unless or until something is done to make SR more SELLABLE to the NZ/Australia Rugby market AND the world rugby market the $s to keep both the very best players and the next rung down won't be there. They will play away from NZ more and more. I think though that NZ will continue to produce the players and the coaches of sufficient strength for NZ to have the capacity to stay at the top. Whether they do stay at the top as an international team will depend upon whether the money flowing to SRP is somehow restored, or NZ teams play in the Japan comp, or NZ opts to pick from anywhere. As a follower of many sports I’d have to say that the organisation and promotion of Super Rugby has been for the last 20 years closest to the worst I’ve ever seen. This hasn't necessarily been caused by NZ, but it’s happened. Perhaps it can be fixed, perhaps not. The Crusaders are I think a symptom of this, not the cause

33 Go to comments
FEATURE
FEATURE Will the Crusaders' decline spark a slow death for New Zealand rugby? Will the Crusaders' decline spark a slow death for New Zealand rugby?
Search