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ESPN staff
Super Rugby will continue as usual amid the coronavirus apart from the Jaguares’ game against the Highlanders in Buenos Aires, which has been moved behind closer doors.
While other sporting leagues are suspending play around the world, SANZAAR confirmed the competition’s other Round 7 fixtures would all go ahead this weekend.
The decision to move the game behind closed doors in Argentina had effectively been taken out of the governing body’s hands after the Argentine government imposed a 30-day ban on spectators attending live events.
“Super Rugby is an international cross-border competition and with the global outbreak of the coronavirus in recent weeks we always knew that unfortunately at some stage there would be an effect on the tournament,” SANZAAR chief executive Andy Marinos said. “We have been planning for such contingencies and have been cognizant of all government and health authority directives issued within their respective territories.
“Today we have been informed by the Jaguares and the Argentina Rugby Union that the Round 7 match scheduled in Buenos Aires on Saturday may proceed but without spectators. We have also been informed that the match may be broadcast by our Rights Holder Broadcaster ESPN. We have taken the decision that the match will be played under these restrictions.”
SANZAAR had previously relocated the Sunwolves’ home matches from Japan as a result of the spread of COVID-19 in Japan and moved to double down on its player welfare across the competition.
“In recent weeks we have put in place strict medical monitoring of all players through the respective Chief Medical Officers (CMOs) to ensure player welfare is at the forefront of our planning for the continuation of the tournament. Indeed we took the step recently to relocate two matches out of Japan. We have always said that we would follow guidelines issued by health authorities and governments within our stakeholder territories. Super Rugby fully understands the concerns of the Buenos Aires City government.”
“To that end, the SANZAAR Board and tournament management will continue to monitor health authority and government directives on the virus in all of our stakeholder territories. We will also be working with the UAR and Buenos Aires City Government to determine the future requirements around the Jaguares matches in Buenos Aires against the Stormers on 21 March and Rebels on 4 April.”
“Apart from the match in Buenos Aires on Saturday, all other matches will continue as normal for Round 7 (March 13-15),” added Marinos.