Highlanders chief executive Roger Clark says he is cautiously optimistic about the possible resumption of the 2020 Vodacom Super Rugby season.
Like it has done to so many of other industries, Covid-19 has brought sport around the world to a halt. But one Super Rugby franchise – the Highlanders – sees a ‘light at end of tunnel’ for a Super Rugby return.
This newfound optimism comes after New Zealand sport minister Grant Robertson on Tuesday indicated that some sporting action could return at an alert level two.
‘Like everybody who read those comments it gave us a bit of hope, but there’s been nothing confirmed,’ Clark told StuffNZ.
‘There’s a lot of work going on behind the scenes, both at our level and New Zealand [rugby] level, coordinated as far as what could it look like, just like all other businesses.
‘I think there is a light at the end of the tunnel but I’ve got no idea of the dates. We’re doing a lot of work to make sure we’re ready for any level and all of the stipulations involved at every level when they actually occur, and we’re hopeful that it will be sooner rather than later,’ he explained.
‘My personal view is that if the NRL gets back [in late May], that will then set a precedent. Not everyone is going to follow that, but sooner the social and economic side needs to be put with the health side.
‘My view is that if you start opening bars, you can go to the hairdressers and the schools are open, then why wouldn’t we be able to play sport?’
Photo: Matt Roberts/Getty Images
