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Guidance on Covid-19 changes to school rugby participation

New Zealand Rugby and the Provincial Unions have welcomed the Government’s decision to update Covid-19 health and safety guidance for school sport.

The updated COVID-19 Public Health Response Amendment Order came into effect at 11.59pm, Saturday 12 March 2022. 

The changes allow organised school rugby and school rugby competitions to be available to all participants, regardless of vaccination status.

Under the new guidelines for school sport, gathering limits can be up to 100 people in the current Red traffic light setting, regardless of the vaccination status of participants.

All club and community rugby is currently required to follow the Covid-19 traffic light settings and is not included in the Government’s school sport decision. Under the Red traffic light setting club rugby with a vaccine pass can be up to 100 people and without a vaccine pass it can be up to 25 people.

New Zealand Rugby continues to encourage Sport New Zealand and the Government to include club and community sport in Covid-19 guidelines review.

New Zealand Rugby will provide updated guidance on any changes to rugby under the traffic light settings as an when it becomes available from the Government.

More detailed guidance on club and school rugby for the 2022 season can be found here.