Game of three halves - Blues/Crusaders/Chiefs - 20/02, 12pm
Game of three halves - Blues/Crusaders/Chiefs - 20/02, 12pm
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@nzzp said in Blues vs Crusaders preseason - Eden Park, 20/02, 3:35pm:
Probably, got season pass but not sure if we'll get there with family commitments
You’re an each way bet kind of guy aren’t you 😀
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@ACT-Crusader said in Blues vs Crusaders preseason - Eden Park, 20/02, 3:35pm:
@nzzp said in Blues vs Crusaders preseason - Eden Park, 20/02, 3:35pm:
Probably, got season pass but not sure if we'll get there with family commitments
You’re an each way bet kind of guy aren’t you 😀
ha ha, true. I'm keen to go, but thought it was a later kickoff. Sometimes there are surprise family commitments... committing is a dangerous game at times
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I assume this will be cancelled
We are still assessing the situation. We will have more information later today when we will be in a better position to comment on the team operations, the planned Footy Fest pre-season game against the Crusaders this Saturday and various scenarios looking ahead after further information from the government. -
@KiwiMurph they could do their own training Mon to Wed, team training Thursday (if moved to level 2), captains run Friday then on the plane to Chch which would have moved back to Level 1 ???
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Cancelled
After careful consideration of all the options, the Blues have decided, for the safety of their fans, to cancel the planned Blues Footy Fest event at Eden Park this Saturday. The Footy Fest was to feature the pre-season match between the Blues and Crusaders. The match came about after the final game of the 2020 Super season between the two sides at a sold-out Eden Park was also cancelled after Auckland moved to a Level 3 alert. “We completely understand the situation and we support the directive from the New Zealand Government to reduce risk of any exposure and spread of this virus,” said Blues CEO Andrew Hore. “Our priority is the safety and wellbeing of our players, staff and of course all of our fans. We all need to do our part to protect any spread of Covid-19 and at the current Level-3 Alert means we are unable to proceed with the game. “Our staff had worked so very hard on this Footy Fest match not just as a great game of rugby but a great occasion to celebrate our communities and very worthy charities.” Hore said finding a pre-season playing opportunity is vital to the Blues preparation for the Sky Super Rugby Aotearoa competition. “Pre-season fixtures ensure an even playing field, adequate conditioning and preparation for the intensity of the competition. We are exploring all avenues in order to play a pre-season game due to its importance to the overall outcome of the competition and our ability to be a genuine contender.” The Footy Fest was planned to include a range of family fun activities and put the spotlight on the multi-cultural nature of the Blues region, as well as support three charities affected by the coronavirus, comprising the Graeme Dingle Foundation, I Have a Dream and Kids Can which all aim to help young people navigate their way through life in a positive manner. The Blues will reach out to members and ticketholders for the Footy Fest game directly in the coming days. The club will aim to add some of the Footy Fest activations in to their first home game in the Sky Super Rugby Aotearoa competition at Eden Park against the Highlanders on Sunday March 14. The Blues will continue to work closely with New Zealand Rugby and the New Zealand Government around Alert levels and how this affects the team as an integral part in the successful staging of the tournament -
The Blues are now looking to play their final Super Rugby pre-season hitout against the Crusaders in Christchurch this weekend as they deal with a potential squeeze ahead of the kickoff of the competition proper.Hore admitted that the best-case scenario for the Blues now was to play their final pre-season hitout against the Crusaders in Christchurch at some stage this weekend. After having only the game of three halves in Wellington last Saturday, it is felt one more match is necessary ahead of the scheduled Super Rugby Aotearoa kickoff against the Hurricanes in Wellington on Saturday, February 27. “For the game to take place we would need to go to a Level 2, and either a team come to us or us go to a team,” said Hore. “There are protocols in and around that. Level 1 would be fantastic, but even then we’d have to play I think now away.The Blues boss confirmed logistics of playing the final pre-season game in Christchurch were already advanced, including staging the match outside of the Crusaders’ home ground. “That’s all been looked at. They’re getting prepared for their season, but there are other venues that could potentially be used in Christchurch,” he said. “If we’re in Level 2 we can’t have crowds anyway and the No 1 priority is to give the boys a hitout. “To be honest, to play the Crusaders we’d probably play them on the beach. That doesn’t worry us. We’ve just got to stay focused on getting through the logistics of potentially moving out of Auckland and getting a game.” -
It will be interesting to see what they are going to do with this game. Playing without crowd in Auckland on Saturday; playing with a crowd in Christchurch on Saturday; or waiting a few days to see if Auckland can go to level 1 soon and play the game with a crowd (early) next week and maybe still looking to postpone the round 1 game?
Playing the game in Chch seems the best option.
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The Blues are delighted with news of the move to Level 2 Covid Alert in Auckland, so they can get their Sky Super Rugby Aotearoa campaign back on schedule. The team has been isolated at home with individual training only, as Auckland has been in Level 3 lockdown. “We will be involved in a number of discussions and meetings tonight in order to finalise plans given the change in Alert levels,” said Blues CEO Andrew Hore. “The reality is that we could not contemplate safely competing in the opening round of the Sky Super Rugby Aotearoa competition, arguably the best rugby contest in the world, without training together and hopefully taking part in a pre-season match. “We are working on a range of options including the initial plan to take on the Crusaders. We have been humbled by the level of support from the other Super clubs. We are fierce rivals on the field but off it, the clubs are incredibly supportive and acting in the best spirit to ensure the Sky Super Rugby Aotearoa competition is successful,” said Blues CEO Andrew Hore. “We will be in a position to announce definitive plans tomorrow after a range of discussions take place over the next 24 hours.” NOTE: There will be a zoom conference on Thursday with details of pre-season arrangements for the weekend. We will advise timing and details tomorrow morning. -
The main info:
The Chiefs have come to the party and will host both the Blues and Crusaders in a ‘game of three halves’ on Saturday to round out a rescheduled Super Rugby Aotearoa pre-season. The noon fixture (live on Sky Sport) will be played at Hautapu Sports in Cambridge and will be closed to public. The match will be played under NZR level 2 operating protocols due to the close proximity to Auckland and need to take maximum precautions ahead of Super Rugby Aotearoa. -
