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Coronavirus: Plunket Shield cancelled due to pandemic as Wellington win title

New Zealand's professional rugby league and football teams take step of basing themselves in Australia to continue playing

Monday 16 March 2020 07:35, UK

Wellington's Plunket Shield title is their first in 16 years
Image: Wellington's Plunket Shield title is their first in 16 years

The final two rounds of New Zealand's domestic first-class cricket competition have been cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic, with Wellington awarded the Plunket Shield title.

New Zealand Cricket (NZC) chief executive David White said the "difficult decision" had been taken based on medical advice following the tightening of border controls by the country's government.

Wellington clinched the 2019-20 title with a 26-point lead over second-placed Central Stags.

"Were informed the risk is very real; the pace of change is great and we have a duty of care to not only our staff and players but our communities as well," said White.

More than concerns around mass gathering, NZC said it wanted to control the heightened risk of transmission in airports, planes and hotels.

Cricket Australia cancelled the final round of the Sheffield Shield season over the weekend in an effort to reduce travel, with the final scheduled on March 27 in doubt.

Australia's limited-overs series at home against the Black Caps was also postponed in the wake of the new travel restrictions announced by the New Zealand government.

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Australia's one-day international series against New Zealand was being played behind closed doors before its postponement
Image: Australia's one-day international series against New Zealand was being played behind closed doors before its postponement

Coronavirus makes New Zealand teams exile in Australia

New Zealand's professional rugby league and football teams have taken the step of basing themselves in Australia to continue playing despite the coronavirus.

The NRL and Football Federation Australia have yet to follow other professional sports in suspending their leagues because of the virus outbreak and the restrictions on travel and public gatherings.

Wellington-based Phoenix have agreed to undergo 14 days of self-isolation in Sydney in order to continue in Australian football's A-League.

New Zealand Warriors will base themselves at Kingscliff in New South Wales state to continue competing in the National Rugby League, at least through the second round this weekend.

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A Super League suspension is likely but will have a huge financial effect on clubs, according to CEO Ralph Rimmer.

All travellers landing in New Zealand are required to complete 14 days of compulsory self-isolation, leading the NRL and A-League to rule out playing further matches in New Zealand for now.

The Phoenix, New Zealand's only fully professional soccer team, will arrive in Sydney on Tuesday, where they will go into quarantine at a hotel before resuming their participation in the league.

"This is an unprecedented time and extremely complex for the sport and society at large," A-League chief executive James Johnson said.

The Warriors played their opening match of the NRL season in a 20-0 loss at Newcastle, north of Sydney, on Saturday and decided to remain in Australia to avoid a period of isolation returning to New Zealand and the prospect of then being excluded from the league

The Warriors are scheduled to play the Canberra Raiders, NRL runners-up last season, on the Gold Coast on Saturday.

Coronavirus - key sporting developments

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