New Zealand Rugby have unveiled a rejigged draw for the coming rounds of Super Rugby Pacific which includes a number of midweek fixtures in order to catch up on postponed matches from earlier in the season.
Three matches involving Moana Pasifika were called off during the opening four weeks of the competition and while the new franchise were able to fit in a replacement game against the Chiefs over the weekend, they are still due to play catch-up fixtures against the Blues and Hurricanes. Meanwhile, all three of last weekend’s originally scheduled matches were postponed.
This weekend’s Round 6 matches are unsurprisingly unaffected but, as already telegraphed, Moana Pasifika will take on the Blues at Mt Smart in a mid-week fixture next Tuesday, on March 29.
The only change to Round 7 will see the Hurricanes square off with the Chiefs in Wellington, with both teams originally scheduled for a bye, while the Crusaders will host the Highlanders and the Blues will play their reverse fixture with Moana Pasifika.
In Round 8, Moana Pasifika and the Highlanders will play their Round 5 match on the Friday night instead of getting the week off. That pushes the fixture between the Hurricanes and Crusaders a day later to Saturday afternoon while the Chiefs will host the Blues in their scheduled fixture later that evening.
