The Super Rugby champion Crusaders have attempted to justify several players breaching New Zealand's lockdown rules

Newshub reported on a group passing and kicking a ball to each other at a Christchurch park, which included All Blacks first-five Richie Mo'unga.

In a statement, the franchise wrote that those involved all live within walking distance of the venue.

The franchise claims the training session was not organised, but instead a case where one group of flatmates training in their bubble were coincidentally joined by a second group.

The PR missive says the players made a conscious effort to observe physical distancing... but shared a ball.

The Crusaders promise it won't happen again.