The Oceania Rugby Women’s Championship, scheduled for November in New Zealand, has been cancelled due to CoViD-19.

The decision was made by Oceania Rugby in collaboration with New Zealand Rugby, and through consultation with relevant government and public health authorities.

This follows the cancellation of the Oceania Rugby Men’s and Women’s Sevens Championship last week.

Oceania Rugby General Manager Bruce Cook said appropriate decisions had to be made, to ensure the health and wellbeing of players, officials and public in the Oceania region.

“Given the exponential global growth of women’s rugby and the opportunity to once again showcase our women’s talent across the region leading into next year’s all important Rugby World Cup, the cancellation of the Oceania Rugby Women’s Championship was a very difficult and sad decision to make.”

He said the decisions have been made right at the last moment in the hope of providing our athletes the opportunity to return to play.

However, the Rugby World Cup Repechage Qualifier between Samoa and Tonga which was to be played during the Championship, will still go ahead.

This game is now planned for Auckland in November.