Clubs have been successful in keeping crowds away from games but, if anything, it has worked too well, leaving clubrooms deserted and revenue falling through the floor.
Under Alert Level 2, which was introduced before games on August 15, games have been limited to gatherings of 100 or fewer with the same limits applying to clubrooms.
Zingari-Richmond chairman Stephen Baughan said playing only one round of club rugby was always going to be a challenge for clubs and more so under the new restrictions.
Before the restrictions, the club leased out part of its clubrooms to a local food manufacturer.
"Having a more diverse revenue stream has helped us offset the reduction in private event bookings and club bar revenue," he said.
Most visiting teams and their supporters have not gone to the home team’s clubrooms afterwards, going straight back to their own club.
Southern chairman Blair Crawford said when Level 2 returned, the message went out to discourage members from attending games and the clubrooms.
"But it worked too well. We were still allowed 100 in there but ended up with 20 supporters in week one.
"So the last two weeks we tried to encourage our teams back but add in university break, teams with byes, and the break to the regular habits and we still haven’t got near to 100."
The junior prizegiving has had to be cancelled in another blow to the club.
Subs had been cut in half to recognise the shorter season but, with the bar down and fewer grants and lesssponsorship, a loss was expected, although the club had reserves.
Council of Rugby Clubs chairman Paul Dwyer said clubs were struggling financially.
"We were already down to half a season anyway. We were going so well. We were having good crowds at games and big crowds in rugby clubs.
"We are now just about pleading with people to come back. Most clubs I have been in there 30 or 40 people there.
"You are not anywhere near your 100. They have been asked to stay away and they’re staying away in their droves."
He was urging supporters to go back.
"The last three or four weeks have been disastrous financially."
Bar takings were at 20% of what they were.
"It will make for a really lean summer and some cost-cutting next year."
West Taieri hosted the Southern region club final in Outram on August 15 and club president Darryl MacKenzie said it was a curtailed event.
"We had three pods of people at the game. One for the players, one for our supporters and the one for the supporters of the other team.
" It was good and well controlled and all that, but it could have been a good night and right through the day," he said.
At the aftermatch function, just the two teams - West Taieri and Clutha Valley -were allowed in the clubrooms for a couple of hours.
Taieri club captain Mike Casey said crowds had been great before the new restrictions were introduced which had made things more difficult.
A count was done on the clubrooms and limited to 100 people.
It was disappointing not to be able to hold ceremonies for trophies in the clubrooms and also acknowledge Kori Rupene’s 150th premier game for the club.