First Super Rugby fan shutout over coronavirus

Fans will be locked out of this weekend's Super Rugby clash between the Jaguares and Highlanders in Buenos Aires, officials said on Friday, making it the first game in the competition to go behind closed doors over the new coronavirus.

Two Sunwolves games have been moved from Japan to Australia because of the virus, but the game at the Estadio Jose Amalfitani (01:00 SA time on Sunday) is the first to bar spectators.

The decision follows an edict from Buenos Aires city authorities banning fans from all major sports events for the next 30 days.

"Super Rugby is an international cross-border competition and with the global outbreak of the coronavirus in recent weeks we always knew that unfortunately at some stage there would be an effect on the tournament," Sanzaar CEO Andy Marinos said in a statement.

He added that the other six matches this weekend in New Zealand, Australia and South Africa would go ahead as normal.

Sports events around the world have been upended by the virus, including this weekend's Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne, which was cancelled on Friday.

Teams:

Jaguares

15 Juan Cruz Mallia, 14 Sebastian Cancelliere, 13 Matias Moroni, 12 Jeronimo de la Fuente (captain), 11 Santiago Carreras, 10 Domingo Miotti, 9 Felipe Ezcurra, 8 Tomas Lezana, 7 Marcos Kremer, 6 Francisco Gorrissen, 5 Lucas Paulos, 4 Guido Petti, 3 Lucio Sordoni, 2 Agustin Creevy, 1 Mayco Vivas

Substitutes: 16 Julian Montoya, 17 Javier Manuel Diaz, 18 Joel Sclavi, 19 Matias Alemanno, 20 Juan Bautista Pedemonte, 21 Gonzalo Bertranou, 22 Joaquin Diaz Bonilla, 23 Santiago Chocobares

Highlanders

15 Josh Ioane, 14 Patelesio Tomkinson, 13 Ngane Punivai, 12 Teihorangi Walden, 11 Tima Fainga’anuku, 10 Mitch Hunt, 9 Kayne Hammington, 8 Marino Mikaele Tu’u, 7 Dillon Hunt, 6 Shannon Frizell, 5 Manaaki Selby-Rickit, 4 Josh Dickson, 3 Siate Tokolahi, 2 Ash Dixon (captain), 1 Daniel Lienert-Brown

Substitutes: 16 Nathan Vella, 17 Ethan De Groot, 18 Jeff Thwaites, 19 Will Tucker, 20 Teariki Ben-Nicholas, 21 Folau Fakatava, 22 Michael Collins, 23 Josh McKay