The New Zealand leg of the 2022 World Rugby sevens series has been cancelled, due to the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic.
After Rugby Australia's confirmation the Sydney leg of the series won't go ahead next year, New Zealand Rugby has followed suit, confirming the Hamilton tournament has also been scuppered.
NZR head of professional rugby Chris Lendrum explains the decision has been made due to the unfeasible costs of bringing teams of players and support staff to New Zealand at a time when spaces in managed isolation are hard to come by.
"The major obstacle to hosting the tournament in New Zealand next year was bringing 26 teams into the country through MIQ," Lendrum says.
"We understand the Government's MIQ priority to keep our borders safe and we accept the scale of our requirements weren't possible.
"This is particularly tough for our Black Ferns Sevens and All Blacks Sevens teams, following their success at the Tokyo Olympics, and for all of the stakeholders who have made the Hamilton tournament a highlight of the sporting calendar."
New Zealand's men and women have not travelled to any events on the 2021 world series schedule, due to COVID travel restrictions.
Instead, both New Zealand and Australian teams will continue to play in Oceania-based tournaments, as they did in their Olympic build-up, to prepare for next year's Birmingham Commonwealth Games.
The 2022 World Rugby sevens calendar will be announced later this month.
