Second round Rugby Championship game between New Zealand and Australia in doubt

The third Bledisloe Cup Test between New Zealand and Australia scheduled to be played in Perth on 28th August is in doubt following the new restrictions imposed by the Western Australian government.

New Zealand went into a three-day lockdown after there was a single case of Covid-19 in Auckland following which the Western Australian government has announced that visitors from New Zealand will have to undergo a mandatory 14-day quarantine period.

With the All Blacks squad set to leave to Perth on Sunday, it would not be possible for the players to complete the quarantine period before 28th August.

Speaking about the possibility of conducting the game, Western Australia’s Premier Mark McGowan said, "We're not sure.

"It may be we have to work out some arrangement. There may be a bubble, or they may just have to comply with the rules that exist with everyone else.

"It's a moving situation and we're trying to work out exactly what can be done about that. It would be very disappointing for rugby fans if we're forced to cancel the game, but that's the nature of the world we're in."

Earlier, Perth was likely to be the host for the remainder of the Rugby Championship games including encounters against the Springboks but McGowan said now "it would be unlikely and It's not our number one priority".

Meanwhile, the Australian players had already arrived in Western Australia last weekend following their back-to-back defeats at Eden Park against the All Blacks as they failed to win the Bledisloe Cup for the 19th consecutive year.