Super Rugby competition

Covid-19 continues to ravage Super Rugby

Covid-19 outbreaks in the Blues, Highlanders, and Crusaders squads have forced a change in the schedule.

The only game that will be played this weekend is Moana Pasifika against the Chiefs at Mount Smart Stadium in Auckland in Saturday night.

The original schedule had the Highlanders playing host to Moana Pasifika in Dunedin, the Blues playing the Crusaders in Christchurch, and the Hurricanes versus the Chiefs in Wellington.

Moana Pasifika have only played one game in their debut season so far - that was against the Crusaders earlier this month.

New Super Rugby competition including Pacific team recommended

The Aratipu review recommended the new competition be established from 2021.

The competition would involve the current five New Zealand super rugby franchises and "we will also be working with Rugby Australia to seek expressions of interest from their current Super clubs and other interested parties to join the competition," said New Zealand Rugby chief executive Mark Robinson.

Unchanged Blues fifteen to take on Chiefs

However they have named six All Blacks, a Maori All Black and a New Zealand Under-20s player on the reserves bench.

Lock Jimmy Tupou will again lead the Blues.

Last week the Bues scored seven tries in their 56-18 opening round win over the Rebels in Melbourne.

The backline, with an average age of just 24 years, took their chances with the front-foot ball to get a further chance, with centre Rieko Ioane bagging a hat-trick of tries and first five Ihaia West moving past the 300 point mark for the Blues.