New Zealand's North v South match has been confirmed for Wellington’s Sky Stadium on Saturday, 5 September, but it will be played without a live crowd.

The news follows the New Zealand Government’s announcement this week on Covid-19 Alert Levels, with Auckland remaining at Level Three until this Sunday night and Wellington and the rest of the country will remain at Level Two until Sunday, 6 September.

Under Level Two guidelines, the North v South match will have to be played with no crowd in attendance.

New Zealand Rugby general manager Professional Rugby & Performance Chris Lendrum said: “We’re delighted that the match can go ahead in Wellington, but obviously it’s a shame that it’ll have to be played without fans in the stands. That said, we’re fully supportive and understanding of the Government’s health and safety recommendations regarding Covid-19.”

The match was originally scheduled for Eden Park on Saturday, 29 August and fans who bought tickets to the match will be refunded via ticketing agency Ticketmaster.

“We feel for the Auckland fans who were set to fill Eden Park in their tens of thousands,” added Lendrum. “If we have that same response from fans watching the match on TV, then it will be a huge audience tuning in on Sky.”

The North and South squads will assemble in Wellington on Monday to prepare for the match.