The Highlanders rugby team has contracted Japanese loose forward Kazuki Himeno for next year, while the Steel netball side has named English shooter George Fisher in its line-up for next season.
The Highlanders have filled out the appropriate forms to try to get Himeno into the country, while the Steel has done the same, and both organisations are simply waiting to see if their applications will be successful. Support has also come from national bodies.
But with no sign of the borders being opened soon and a strict regime in letting foreign workers into the country, it may be a steep hill to climb.
Immigration New Zealand has stringent standards on letting people into the country and it is hard to see how a rugby player from Japan and a netballer from England could jump to the front of the queue.
The players are going to have to pass a stringent test set by the government and must also pay for isolation.
The Highlanders start their pre-season on January 7, and will want Himeno in the country by then. The opening game of Super Rugby Aotearoa is on February 26 when the Highlanders take on the Crusaders at Forsyth Barr Stadium.
The Steel do not start the season until late March, but there may be a series between England and the Silver Ferns in England in January, which may have an impact on the arrival of players.
The usual 10 week pre-season may have to be staggered as players arrive at different times, but this is nothing new for the franchise, which has always had to work its pre-season around international commitments.
— additional reporting by Jeff Cheshire
