Next weekend's Farah Palmer Cup premiership final hangs in the balance, with a COVID-19 outbreak forcing Hamilton and other parts of the Waikato into Alert Level 3 lockdown.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern ordered the elevation in alert level, after two cases - one in Hamilton and another in Raglan - popped up over the weekend, giving the provincial women's team just hours to get out of town.
On Saturday, Waikato overcame the absence of nine Black Ferns squad members to defeat Wellington 26-10 at FMG Stadium and set up a repeat of last year's final against four-time defending champions Canterbury.
But this latest COVID development has the provincial union scrambling to assemble its squad for the trip south.
If players are unable to leave Hamilton on Sunday, they will be trapped at home for at least five days, hoping to fly into Christchurch on the morning of the game.
If the lockdown extends any longer, the final faces postponement or cancellation - or forfeit to Canterbury, who weren't required to play a semi-final, after Auckland withdrew from the competition under Alert Level 3.
Meanwhile, the Waikato men - fortuitously - have a bye next weekend.
Join us at 2pm Saturday for live updates of the Farah Palmer Cup premiership final between Canterbury and Waikato
