NZ Warriors will play Gold Coast Titans at Auckland's Mt Smart Stadium in the opening round of the 2021 NRL season - if a trans-Tasman bubble is in place.
According to The Daily Telegraph, the NRL has granted the club its wish to welcome in the new season in front of a home crowd for the first time in 18 months.
The Warriors are expected to then travel back to Australia for several rounds, regardless of the situation with the New Zealand borders.
The NRL will release a full 2021 schedule on Thursday, giving the clubs a clearer indication of how the season's travel will play out.
While all six Australian states are out of COVID-19 lockdown, the threat is still very real, with a mini-cluster breakout in South Australia only last week.
Another statewide COVID-19 lockdown could adversely affect the NRL schedule.
In other first round action, defending champions Melbourne Storm host South Sydney Rabbitohs in the opening game of the season, while Sydney Roosters will play Manly Sea Eagles at the Sydney Cricket Ground.
The match against the Titans is scheduled for an afternoon kickoff on Saturday, March 13.
