New Zealand Rugby has confirmed that there will be no crowd limits at stadiums when Vodacom Super Rugby Aotearoa gets under way this weekend.

New Zealand’s domestic Super Rugby tournament kicks off when the Highlanders play the Chiefs at Forsyth Barr Stadium in Dunedin on Saturday, 13 June, with the Blues hosting the Hurricanes at Eden Park the following day.

All games will be broadcast live on SuperSport.

The news that fans will be able to fill the stadiums comes after the New Zealand government moved the country to Covid-19 alert level 1, lifting all restrictions on mass gatherings.

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NZR chief executive Mark Robinson said the announcement was fantastic news for rugby.

‘It is a testament to all New Zealanders that we are in a position to lift restrictions on mass gatherings and it’s a massive boost for Super Rugby Aotearoa,’ he said.

‘We’re incredibly proud, and grateful, to be the first professional sports competition in the world to be in a position to have our teams play in front of their fans again. It’s going to be a very special and unique competition and it’s fitting that New Zealanders now have a chance to be part of it.’

NZR head of professional rugby Chris Lendrum confirmed that the move would change kick-off times for the tournament.

‘With the return of community sport, we wanted to give our many fans involved in Saturday sport time to finish up their games, get ready to head out, and then across town to our venues. We’re excited to be able to provide some daytime Sunday rugby in 2020.

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‘With the change to Level 1 our teams can now prepare normally for matches, rather than asking them to fly in and out on match day.’

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