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Blues cancel pre-season clash against Crusaders at Eden Park due new COVID-19 cases in Auckland

(Photo by Fiona Goodall/Getty Images)

The Blues have cancelled their pre-season clash against the Crusaders at Eden Park this Saturday in the wake of three new COVID-19 community cases in Auckland.

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The match was scheduled to be the highlight of the ‘Blues Footy Fest’ at the stadium, but it has instead been canned, with the Blues citing the welfare of its fans as its top priority as Auckland residents undergo a three-day alert Level 3 lockdown.

The news comes six months after the highly-anticipated final match of last year’s Super Rugby Aotearoa between the Blues and Crusaders was cancelled while Auckland was in a Level 3 lockdown.

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Gregor Townsend and Stuart Hogg on Wales loss | Six Nations 2021

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Gregor Townsend and Stuart Hogg on Wales loss | Six Nations 2021

“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 franchise said in a statement.

“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.”

Blues chief executive Andrew Hore said that in a bid to do everything possible to prevent the spread of COVID-19, the franchise is “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,” he said.

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With this match now off the schedule, Hore said the Blues are exploring other possibilities to ensure the Auckland side are prepared as best as possible when the competition kicks-off next week.

“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 Blues confirmed they would refund all its members and ticket-holders to Saturday’s event in the coming days, and would look to incorporate some of the day’s planned festivities for its first Super Rugby Aotearoa home match against the Highlanders on March 14.

Earlier on Monday, Highlanders chief executive Roger Clark told media there was no certainty that his franchise’s pre-season match against the Hurricanes in Alexandra on Friday would go ahead under the current alert Level 2 restrictions outside of Auckland.

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While the match could still go ahead under those restrictions, no crowd would be allowed to attend, which would be a financial hit for the Dunedin side given they initially expected an attendance of between 6000 and 8000 people.

Further complexities, such as the Highlanders and Hurricanes travelling between the Dunedin and Wellington to the Central Otago town, have added to the uncertainty of the fixture going ahead.

Super Rugby Aotearoa gets underway next Friday when the Highlanders host the Crusaders at Forsyth Barr Stadium in Dunedin on February 26, while the Hurricanes host the Blues at Sky Stadium in Wellington the following day.

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R
RedWarrior 1 hour ago
Three-way race to be number one in World Rugby men's rankings

IF SA and NZ win then its 1,2,3 SA/NZ/IRL Otherwise as you were. This is largely irrelevant beyond bragging rights.


As I have pointed out elsewhere the practical use of the Rankings is to determine the seedings bands for the RWC draw. The draw takes place early 2026 and hopefully the rankings will be taken from then.


Important to be in the top 6, the top 12. (and likely the top 4).

This is because there are now 6 groups in the RWC 2027.

If you are in top 6 you are in Seeding Band 1. That means none of the other top 6 will be in your group.

Seeding Band 2 are teams from 7-12, who will have a top 6 team but no other 7-12 team.

After England's defeat by NZ there is clear water between NZ in 3rd, France in 4th and England in 5th. England are desperate for top4, ill come back and explain why later.

Lets look at Seeding Band 1 and 6th place. If you make 6th, no top 6 team is in your group, you are top dog. If you win your group, you won't be facing a top 6 team in your 1/8th final, you will be facing a weaker team. If you fail to make 6th place you WILL have a top 6 team in your group and if you don't win your group you WILL (probably) meet a top 6 in the 1/8 final. That's massive.


Its Argentina holding 6th now. Assuming England hold 5th, then its a 4 horse race for 6th. Argentina, Scotland, Italy and ...Australia. (ranked 6,7,8,9)

Australia play the Lions in NH summer 2025 they are running out of time to get up to 6th for their own RWC. They MUST make a move now. They must beat Wales and they really must beat Scotland to gain points and take points off them. Could they surprise England or Ireland? England may be the better bet but Schmidt knows Ireland so well having masterminded their downfall in France.

Another one to watch is Italy V Argentina. Italy are ambitious and they will want to start pushing the likes of Argentina. If they win this they are still in the hunt. Well worth a watch either way.


Top4: I think the top 6 will be seeded, all the way through from the draw. If thats the case then the top 4 will be seeded to avoid each other until the semi. Good for more certainty around ticket sales etc. That's a possible reason why England want in there. You're not in there you are hitting a top 4 team in a QF. That's an extra 50:50 match you can do without and avoid by being top 4.


Lets look at what Seeding bands might look like with todays rankings:


Seeding Band 1

IRE/SA/NZ/FRA/ENG/ARG

Seeding Band 2

SCO/ITA/AUS/FIJ/WAL/GEO


Sample Aussie strongest pool opponent and 1/8th final opponent if in top 6

Strongest pool opponent: FIJI

1/8 final opponent GEORGIA

Prognosis: advance to 1/4 and potentially beyond


Sample Aussie strongest pool opponent and 1/8th final opponent if NOT in top 6

Strongest pool opponent: SOUTH AFRICA

1/8 final opponent NEW ZEALAND

Prognosis: You know the prognosis


I am pretty sure this is not lost on Joe Schmidt?


Keep in mind when enjoying the matches.

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