The All Blacks are set to leave Perth for the third Bledisloe Cup match after previously being held back on player welfare grounds.
After New Zealand Rugby controversially opted out of flying the All Blacks to Perth this week, a solution appears to have been found, with the All Blacks set to leave New Zealand next week. Liam Napier reports.
The All Blacks are likely to board a plane to Perth next weekfor the third, rescheduled Bledisloe Cup test against the Wallabies on September 4.
The difference between next week and last, when New Zealand Rugby sparked an outcry by pulling pin on the All Blacks travelling for the scheduled August 28 Bledisloe test in Perth, is the Rugby Championship destination is expected to be finalised by Tuesday or Wednesday.
The continued uncertainty surrounding whether Europe, Queensland or South Africa will host the four-nation tournament is the rationale NZ Rugby cited for not sending the All Blacks last Saturday.
Provided health protocols remain the same, allowing the All Blacks to travel to Perth, stay in a controlled bubble and play seven days later, and Rugby Australia can negotiate with AFL to secure Optus Stadium on September 4, the final sold-out Bledisloe is expected to be staged then.
Amid the backdrop of seething anger from Australia at the way NZ Rugby has handled the complex situation, the dead rubber Bledisloe, which doubles as the All Blacks' second Rugby Championship fixture, promises to be a tense occasion.
Like last week, the All Blacks need to leave New Zealand by this Saturday in order to land in Perth a week before the September 4 date.
Much of the context around NZ Rugby's decision to hold the All Blacks back at late notice, and force Rugby Australia to reschedule the third Bledisloe for a second time, has been overshadowed by furious criticism – and some dubious claims, particularly those from RA chief executive Andy Marinos about a lack of consultation.
Ardie Savea of the All Blacks sings the national anthem during The Rugby Championship and Bledisloe Cup match between the New Zealand All Blacks and the Wallabies. Photo / Getty Images.
Sanzaar held a chief executive meeting last Thursday where NZ Rugby boss Mark Robinson flagged issues facing the All Blacks' departure, including the challenges assembling a group of 60-odd players and management from all parts of the country with domestic flights significantly reduced while New Zealand is in lockdown.
With no MIQ spots available for the All Blacks until November, once the team leaves New Zealand they cannot return until then. They, therefore, want certainty around the Rugby Championship destination before being away from home for up to 14 weeks.
Following the Sanzaar meeting the Herald understands Robinson and Marinos spoke two further times on Friday, with the latter well aware of the 2pm deadline to guarantee Queensland's ability to host the Rugby Championship before the All Blacks were willing to fly out.
The prospect of pushing the third Bledisloe back a week to September 4, in order to allow time for the Rugby Championship situation to be resolved, was raised only to be rejected by Marinos.
As the deadline loomed, Marinos asked for three additional hours to secure a letter or approval from the Queensland Government – that is still yet to arrive – and Robinson made it clear that, given logisical challenges, they would not wait that long.
All Blacks perform the haka during the national anthem during the 2nd 2021 Bledisloe Cup Test rugby match between the All Blacks and Australia. Photo / Getty Images.
Having not received assurances from Queensland around the Rugby Championship, NZ Rugby took a hard-line stance to issue its statement that the All Blacks would not be travelling as planned, sparking furious criticism and suggestions from Marinos that he found out via the media.
One other factor widely overlooked is the quarantine situation facing the Springboks and Pumas. Both teams originally planned to satisfy their two-week quarantine in Sydney, where they were permitted to train during that time. As of last Friday, however, that was no longer the case with the Covid-19 situation deteriorating in Sydney.
While Perth remains keen to host the third Bledisloe they, too, aren't comfortable with the potential risks associated with welcoming the Boks and Pumas from South Africa, a Covid-19 hot spot.
Perth therefore changed its stance on staging the Rugby Championship, as had been touted.
With the Queensland State Government yet to provide assurances it is willing to host the tournament, or clarify the quarantine situation for the Boks and Pumas, much uncertainty surrounds how and where those teams will enter Australia.
NZ Rugby's move left ticket holders in Perth disillusioned, and Wallabies coach Dave Rennie "bloody angry" as, among other things, his team is now left in limbo.
(L-R) Aaron Smith, Sevu Reece, Rieko Ioane, Karl Tuuinukuafe and Akira Ioane look on after winning the Rugby Championship and Bledisloe Cup. Photo / Getty Images.
The decision to delay travelling is not unprecedented, however. Just last year the Springboks pulled out of playing the Rugby Championship in Australia at the 11th hour – citing player welfare. That decision had major ramifications in reducing the tournament to the Tri Nations.
Sanzaar is set to meet on Monday to determine where the Rugby Championship will be held, with Queensland and Europe essentially in a head-to-head battle. South Africa's inability to host crowds would significantly reduce revenue.
Europe is enticing for all four nations from a financial point of view – and if the third Bledisloe can't be staged in Perth on September 4, there is the prospect of instead playing it at Wembley on October 9.
