All Blacks coach Ian Foster said one player in the squad ‘barged in his door’ and made it clear he had no intention of being in quarantine at Christmas, highlighting the tension the team is under amid a standoff over Rugby Championship fixtures.
New Zealand Rugby are at loggerheads with Rugby Australia, South Africa Rugby and southern hemisphere’s governing body SANZAAR over the December 12th finish for the Rugby Championship that will be held in Australia.
NZ Rugby have said they had not agreed to the fixtures, with a Dec. 12 finish meaning the All Blacks would still be in a 14-day quarantine over the Christmas break upon their return to New Zealand. Foster told Newstalk ZB he has had one player that has barged in his door and said he is not playing at Christmas.
Foster did not identify the player, but NZ Riugby have said they would support anyone who chose to withdraw from the squad because they did not want to spend up to 10 weeks away from their family.
Meanwhile, the All Blacks face the Wallabies at 3pm Sunday in their first Bledisloe Cup match.
[Source: Rugby Pass]
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