Super Rugby: Highlanders' game in Queenstown in fresh doubt as Victoria lockdown looms

The Highlanders face a trip to Sydney to face the Melbourne Rebels on Sunday as the likelihood of hosting them in Queenstown diminishes.

Reports out of Australia indicated that Victoria is likely to be sent back into lockdown in response to Melbourne’s growing Covid-19 outbreak.

Such a decision would likely mean that the New Zealand government extends the current halt on travel between Aotearoa and the Australian state.

Although the Rebels flew to Sydney on Wednesday, NZ’s Covid-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins was adamant on Wednesday they would not be able to fly from Sydney to Queenstown if the travel halt was extended.

The travel bubble pause between New Zealand and Victoria initially came into effect on Tuesday evening for a 72-hour period.

That gave rise to hopes that Highlanders-Rebels game could go ahead as scheduled, and Highlanders chief executive Roger Clark said on Wednesday that he was “really confident” of the game proceeding in the tourist hub.

However, the deteriorating situation in Melbourne has changed the picture and the Highlanders now seem likely to travel to Sydney on Saturday to face the Rebels on Sunday.

In the Super Rugby Trans-Tasman this weekend, the Hurricanes will face Western Force at 7.05pm tomorrow, the Waratahs will host the Crusaders at 5.05pm Saturday, the Blues will face the Brumbies at 7.15pm Saturday, the Chiefs will play the Reds at 9.45pm Saturday and the Highlanders will take on the Rebels at 2.35pm Sunday.

[Source: Stuff.Co]