News

The Counties Manukau Rugby Football Union has today confirmed the PIC Steelers’ COVID-interrupted 2021 season is officially over.

Yesterday’s Government announcement that Auckland would remain in Alert Level 3 for another fortnight has skittled any plans for a Super City Auckland rugby competition. 

The three Auckland-based Bunnings Warehouse NPC provinces (Counties Manukau, Auckland and North Harbour) had been hoping to stage a city-wide competition once their participation in the domestic showpiece was curtailed by COVID last month.But after weeks of trying to find ways to play competitive rugby in 2021, CMRFU chief executive Aaron Lawton confirmed today that the season was over for the PIC Steelers.

 “Unfortunately, we have just run out of runway,” a devastated Lawton said.

 “Yesterday’s announcement was far from a surprise, but it means there is no possible way we can return to play this year.  "It’s absolutely heart-breaking news for our high-performance department and our players, who have worked their backsides off all the way through this lockdown on the chance we might get back onto the field, and of course our incredibly loyal partners and fans.”

Steve Lancaster, NZR General Manager of Community Rugby said the ongoing inability of teams to train together meant there was not enough preparation time for players to safely return to full contact rugby in 2021: “It is disappointing we couldn’t put up a Super City Series for Auckland, North Harbour and Counties Manukau, while it would have been great to provide some meaningful rugby for the region it wasn’t feasible with the current Alert Level restrictions in place for the next two weeks.

"We needed players to be able to prepare for return to play this week to kick off the series so it could be completed before the end of November. We have reached this decision in consultation with the three affected teams and while we are all incredibly frustrated, we are looking forward to what we hope will be a more positive season for them in 2022.” 

The news also spells the end of head coach Tai Lavea’s time in charge of the PIC Steelers and Lawton was quick to acknowledge the work he’s done since taking over at the start of 2020. 

“I am so disappointed for Tai – he and his coaching team had such high hopes for this season and worked so hard and to not be able to go out on his terms is gutting,” he said. 

“I want to thank Tai for everything that he has done for our proud Union, and we genuinely wish him well with the next chapter in his career.” 

Lawton wanted to thank Union sponsors, who continue to be very supportive. 

“There are financial ramifications now that we are not taking to the field again, but I want to thank our wonderful sponsors, who have stuck by us and supported us when we needed them the most,” he said. 

“Throughout this crisis, they have stuck by us and it’s incredibly humbling. We might have been unlucky this year with the COVID-induced lockdowns in Auckland but off the field we couldn’t be luckier to have such an incredible stable of partners. 

“2021 has been a very challenging year and it is about time we put a big red line through it and start looking ahead to better times next year.”

But after weeks of trying to find ways to play competitive rugby in 2021, CMRFU chief executive Aaron Lawton confirmed today that the season was over for the PIC Steelers. 

“Unfortunately, we have just run out of runway,” a devastated Lawton said. 

“Yesterday’s announcement was far from a surprise, but it means there is no possible way we can return to play this year. 

“It’s absolutely heart-breaking news for our high-performance department and our players, who have worked their backsides off all the way through this lockdown on the chance we might get back onto the field, and of course our incredibly loyal partners and fans.” 

The news also spells the end of head coach Tai Lavea’s time in charge of the PIC Steelers and Lawton was quick to acknowledge the work he’s done since taking over at the start of 2020. 

“I am so disappointed for Tai – he and his coaching team had such high hopes for this season and worked so hard and to not be able to go out on his terms is gutting,” he said. 

“I want to thank Tai for everything that he has done for our proud Union, and we genuinely wish him well with the next chapter in his career.” 

Lawton wanted to thank Union sponsors, who continue to be very supportive. 

“There are financial ramifications now that we are not taking to the field again, but I want to thank our wonderful sponsors, who have stuck by us and supported us when we needed them the most,” he said. 

“Throughout this crisis, they have stuck by us and it’s incredibly humbling. We might have been unlucky this year with the COVID-induced lockdowns in Auckland but off the field we couldn’t be luckier to have such an incredible stable of partners. 

“2021 has been a very challenging year and it is about time we put a big red line through it and start looking ahead to better times next year.”