The three Auckland-based NPC rugby teams have been cleared to resume training in a restricted capacity.
Photo: Photosport Ltd 2020
New Zealand Rugby has confirmed the Auckland, North Harbour and Counties Manukau squads would return to supervised aerobic sessions.
Training protocols had been designed in accordance with the government's Covid alert level 3 requirements.
Groups were restricted to 10 people, while trainings must be no more than an hour in duration, contactless and with no sharing of equipment allowed.
Each training group was to train separately, with a minimum 30-minute gap between one group training and the next arriving at the same outdoor facility.
All players and staff had also been tested prior to returning to training, while contact tracing and daily symptom checks were required before a player or staff member could attend sessions.
NZR general manager of community rugby Steve Lancaster said they wanted the teams to be as prepared as possible for a return to competition once Auckland moved down to alert level 2.
"The place of work for professional rugby players includes the training field and gym and these protocols have been developed in strict adherence to the alert level 3 settings and in collaboration with the three Auckland based Unions and NZR to help our players return to work albeit in a very limited capacity."
The three Auckland based sides had been unable to return to the NPC, which resumed for the rest of the teams on 17 September.
The government's next alert level announcement was scheduled for Monday next week.