All Blacks Tests 2020
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https://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=12360395
Rugby: All Blacks could be forced abroad as Bledisloe Cup, Rugby Championship face fresh Covid-19 setbacks
Liam Napier
As New Zealand prepares to enter the crucial next stage of its Covid-19 response, the effects from the country's latest pandemic setback is set to be keenly felt by the All Blacks, as Liam Napier reports.
The All Blacks are expected to play the first two tests of Ian Foster's reign in Queensland in early October – a schedule that would require a one-month quarantine period and have major implications for a warm-up match against a Moana Pacific side and the Mitre 10 Cup.
The Herald has also learned New Zealand's planned hosting of the Rugby Championship from November 7 to December 12 has encountered further complications with the three foreign teams – South Africa, Argentina and Australia – unable to quarantine in this country at the same time.
Before the latest Covid-19 outbreak quashed the ability of crowds to attend matches, New Zealand Rugby had hoped to open the test season by hosting the first Bledisloe Cup match in Wellington on October 10.
The ever-evolving picture has forced constant change, however, with New Zealand's unstable Covid-19 situation ultimately expected to lead to the All Blacks now playing their first two tests in Queensland.
Wallabies coach Dave Rennie is taking 46 players and 18 staff for a two-week quarantine period at the five star Sanctuary Cove on the Gold Coast. The All Blacks are expected to follow suit next month, with the first test likely to take place at the Gold Coast's Cbus Stadium on October 10, followed by Brisbane's Suncorp Stadium on October 17.
In this likely proposal both teams would then return to New Zealand and be forced to complete another two-week quarantine period before playing more Bledisloe tests and, in a best case scenario, the Rugby Championship.
That schedule would have major ramifications for the All Blacks' desire to stage a warm-up match against a Moana Pacific side which was originally planned for October 3 at Mt Smart Stadium.
New Zealand Rugby is understood to be working through details before confirming Bledisloe Cup fixtures, but should plans progress along these lines the All Blacks would need to depart New Zealand no later than September 25 in order to fulfil Queensland's two-week quarantine.
With the Mitre 10 Cup due to start on September 11, that leaves a one week window to play the planned warm-up fixture against the Moana Pacific side. The availability of All Blacks and leading Super Rugby players for all provincial teams will be dictated by this schedule.
While Queensland has quarantine facilities that allow teams the ability to train and prepare for test matches, New Zealand's preferred options are not believed to be at the same level.
Plans are in place for Rugby Championship teams to quarantine in Queenstown but it is understood all four teams, with the All Blacks returning from Australia, cannot satisfy the two-week period at the same time.
This will require a complicated staggered approach to teams arriving in New Zealand, and adds further doubt to the tournament getting off the ground.
New Zealand Rugby is conscious of the sacrifice the Springboks, Wallabies and Pumas would make as in the current Covid-19 climate they will be expected to quarantine through Christmas on their return home. In this case of the Wallabies, they would spend six weeks in isolation away from family and friends.
Argentina are believed to be open to arriving early and potentially playing warm up fixtures against willing provincial teams, but NZ Rugby will do their best to cater to all foreign Rugby Championship teams.
While crowds may not be permitted to attend any test fixtures in either Australia or New Zealand this year, the four Rugby Championship nations are confident they will generate enough revenue from broadcasters alone to ensure the complex travel and quarantine scenarios are worthwhile.
NZ Rugby's likely agreement to send the All Blacks to Australia next month would signal the smoothing of the relationship with their neighbouring counterparts after the expressions of interest process for Super Rugby next year turned sour when Rugby Australia were effectively asked to ditch as many as three teams.
Foster will name his maiden 35-man All Blacks squad on Sunday, September 6, the day following the North versus South match in Wellington.
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Interesting read here, with this incredible graph. We don't know how lucky we are as ABsupporters.
https://thechaserugby.com/2020/08/28/steinlager-north-v-south-preview/
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@nzzp Great article too.
Fingers Crossed:
SANZAAR boss 'very optimistic' about New Zealand's chance of hosting Rugby Championship
SANZAAR chief executive Andy Marinos has revealed he is very optimistic about the chances of New Zealand hosting the Rugby Championship in November and December.
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@Duluth said in All Blacks Tests 2020:
Reminds me of when Athens, Rio, New Delhi, insert city here "aren't going to be ready" for the Olympics or CWGs and Australia "has been asked to be ready "...
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@Duluth said in All Blacks Tests 2020:
Maybe. However a tiny outbreak in resulted in games of rugby being illegal. Without getting into the merits of that reaction I would be surprised if Sanzaar wasn’t looking at other options
Not sure how Australia is handling their borders, but they can probably handle more people crossing and isolating (just due to size), and have confidence the games will go ahead (as they are in more steady state). Trying to get 150 rugby people through borders with only 250/day is tough (unless you do America's Cup, horse race tracks or Avatar
)This outbreak will have dented confidence, and that will have a massive cost. I hope it's NZ, but wouldn't surprise me if it is Australia - and they also have better time zones for Europe.
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Trump said that it was terrible what was happening here with our latest outbreak, surely that wasn't a lie? People dropping dead everywhere. I'm tripping over bodies in the streets now. We can't possibly host it.
Facetiousness aside - Aus aren't any better off in terms of the disease.
My guess is whichever government will let crowds in gets it.
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Hopes of holding the Rugby Championship at all, let alone in New Zealand, are rapidly fading, with time fast running out to bring the four sides together for the tournament. Newshub understands contingency planning is already at an advanced level, with New Zealand Rugby preparing for All Blacks tests to be limited to Bledisloe Cup matches. Friday is 'D-Day' for the government to make a call on whether the Rugby Championship could be held in New Zealand, although multiple sources have told Newshub that those chances appear over. Newshub understands NZR is instead preparing for the All Blacks to play four Bledisloe Cup tests only this year. Starting mid-October, two of those would be in Australia - likely in Brisbane or the Gold Coast - before two return tests in New Zealand.
NZ Rugby focuses on Bledisloe Cup, as Rugby Championship hopes fade | Newshub
Newshub understands the All Blacks will play a four-test, home-and-away series against Australia.
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The problem appears to be that SA want to play a minimum of 4 Currie Cup games before travelling, which could delay the start of the RC, and I doubt Queenstown has the facilities to host 3 teams to quarantine/train. The logical option is to allocate one team per city so they can isolate and train. Move one to Chch and another to Welly.
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Anyone think after mitre 10 cup the all black do a internal tour if nz 2 games vs say nz Maori and a nz president xv kind of like the 70s when colin meads played for president xv if the ab csnt play international teams
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@Machpants said in All Blacks Tests 2020:
Just because argentina can't make it, doesn't mean shit. I'm not saying it's going ahead but it could be tri nations again
Someone clearly doesn’t understand the importance of regular friendlies between the top nations.
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@Cpt-Kumera ABs v Maori ABs v ABs XV (which is now our official second senior side). Would be nice, with a few games in smaller stadiums.
