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Super Netball has switched two Melbourne games interstate as they look to keep the season afloat in the face of rising coronavirus cases in Victoria. The Melbourne Vixens and Collingwood Magpies were scheduled to host the Adelaide Thunderbirds and West Coast Fever respectively at Melbourne's John Cain Arena on Saturday. However the Vixens have stayed in Queensland following their thrilling two-goal win over the Queensland Firebirds and will take on the Thunderbirds at USC Stadium on the Sunshine Coast on Sunday afternoon. The match will be played as a double header, following the Sunshine Coast Lightning and Queensland Firebirds clash at 3pm. The Magpies will now play the Fever at Sydney's Ken Rosewall Arena on Saturday at 3pm.  Super Netball League operations manager Bill Allen said it was a challenging time for the competition, which was played almost entirely in Queensland in 2020. "This is a challenging time for the clubs and officials as we once again navigate the complexities of the coronavirus pandemic," Allen said. "We are continuing to work with the relevant health authorities to ensure all Suncorp Super Netball games can go ahead." Meanwhile, the Super Rugby clash between Melbourne and the Chiefs in Hamilton has been pushed back a day to Sunday to give the Rebels more time to prepare. The Rebels are currently based in Sydney after moving out of Melbourne last week, with their round three game against the Highlanders relocated from Queenstown when they weren't able to travel to New Zealand. However the team remains subject to the COVID-19 New Zealand government travel pause that is in place for travel between Victoria and New Zealand. Rugby officials are working on a contingency plan to play the Chiefs match in Sydney should the travel bubble not be reinstated on Friday, when Melbourne's seven-day lockdown is due to end.
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