Super Rugby Aotearoa will be extended if this year's trans-tasman Super Rugby competition can't go ahead, according to the Blues boss Andrew Hore.
Blues players congratulate No.8 Hoskins Sotutu. Photo: PHOTOSPORT
The tournament, in which the five New Zealand and Australian teams play cross over games in both countries, is scheduled to start in May.
With a trans-Tasman bubble needed to make the schedule work, the competition is under threat due to Covid-19 travel restrictions.
At present, anyone entering New Zealand or returning from overseas must quarantine for two weeks.
That would make the current Super Rugby trans-Tasman schedule, which has the Chiefs playing in Perth on the opening round before returning to Hamilton for a home game the following week, unworkable.
Hore said the tournament would not be moved to Australia and confirmed if it was cancelled Super Rugby Aotearoa would be expanded, with the teams playing each other three times instead of twice before a grand final.
"NZR (New Zealand Rugby) came out last week and the view has been had that we would go to a third round of Super Rugby Aotearoa (if Super Rugby trans-Tasman is canned). It gives people certainty ... there's a certain number of games that (teams know) will be played. It was deemed that it would be too difficult to shift the whole competition across the Tasman."
Hore and the Blues have cancelled their final pre-season game this weekend in Auckland due to the city being at alert level 3 until at least midnight Wednesday, but he said the team must play another match before the start of Super Rugby Aotearoa next weekend for players to build up the contact training they need to be safe in the competition.
The Blues cannot train under level 3 restrictions and Hore said if the lockdown continued past the current cut off, the Blues could be forced to abandon their opening game of Super Rugby Aotearoa against the Hurricanes in Wellington next Saturday night.
"My gut instinct would be if you've left it longer than that week, we've got to seriously consider what we actually do. The level of contact that these players often need to build them into the rigours of a tournament such as Super Rugby Aotearoa is (huge). So, realistically these three days are challenging, a week would be even more so."
Hore said the Blues were exploring all options, including playing a hastily-organised game this weekend, in or out of Auckland against another Super Rugby side if restrictions are eased.
He said they were contemplating playing the Crusaders in Christchurch.
"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. If we're in level 2 we can't have crowds anyway and the number one 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."
He said they were also looking at swapping the first round bye of the competition proper with the Chiefs.
