clash has now been rescheduled for Tuesday

[Jin Wah]

The Blues are doing their level-best to take an eleventh-hour Covid-19 outbreak in their stride.

The Auckland-based outfit confirmed they are the latest Kiwi Super Rugby Pacific team dealing with a bout of Covid-19 in their camp, with a number of players testing positive ahead of their Friday night clash against the Highlanders in Albany.

However the match will go ahead, with the outbreak considered to be manageable and the home lineup able to be reshuffled.

“The Blues confirm that a small number of players in the squad have tested positive for Covid,” the franchise said via a statement. “They are self-isolating and the remainder of the squad will continue with the strict protocols, including regular testing.”

Blues star Beauden Barrett will make his first start for the franchise in two years after being named at No 10 for his side’s clash against the Highlanders in Albany on Friday.

Barrett overcame a concussion issue that plagued him over the course of the off-season to feature off the bench for the Blues in their 24-22 win over the Chiefs at Eden Park in Auckland last week.

It was the two-time World Rugby Player of the Year’s first outing for the franchise since 2020 after having skipped last year’s title-winning season to play for Suntory Sungoliath in Japan’s Top League.

With week 4 Super League fixtures around the corner, Blues and Highlanders line up to face each other at North Harbor Stadium in Auckland. So far in the competition, the Highlanders haven’t achieved much, but on the other hand, there is Blues, who have managed to win a game out of 2 played. Both well-matched teams would be out in the middle, presenting descent gameplay and thrilling actions for rugby lovers in New Zealand and Australia. For the upcoming game, Blues are excited to make some front-line changes which might prove pivotal as the match progresses. Blues need to focus on the basics and make the right decisions where

Earlier in the week the Hurricanes had to withdraw from their Saturday clash against Moana Pasifika when a major outbreak, understood to have affected as many as 20 players, left them unable to field a side.

That match has been postponed and will be rescheduled at a later date.

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The Blues have already seen their first-round clash against Moana Pasifika postponed because of a Covid outbreak in the opposition camp.

That clash has now been rescheduled for Tuesday, March 29, at Mount Smart Stadium, with a 7.05pm kickoff. Four days later the two sides will meet again in the scheduled round 7 game at Eden Park (7.05pm).

Moana Pasifika have been massively affected by Covid, with the Hurricanes clash the expansion outfit’s third to be postponed already this season.

NZ Rugby confirmed on Friday the rescheduling of the first two of those, with Moana also to meet the Chiefs at FMG Stadium Waikato on Tuesday, April 12, in round 9.