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Border changes prompt Bledisloe shake-up

Border changes prompt Bledisloe shake-up

By Dhanjay Deo
27/07/2021
Photo: Getty Images

New Zealand Rugby confirms the Bledisloe Cup will begin with two Tests in New Zealand.

Last Friday, New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced quarantine-free travel from Australia would cease for eight weeks, throwing the Rugby Championship schedule into chaos.

Instead of a Test in Perth sandwiched by matches in Auckland and Wellington, the Bledisloe will now kick off with two Tests in New Zealand.

The Eden Park opener will go ahead on August 7th, with the venue and date of the second Test up in the air.

New Zealand Rugby's ideal scenario - to play at Wellington's Sky Stadium on August 14th is unavailable as the stadium is hosting popular craft beer festival 'Beervana'.

The border changes mean the All Blacks won't host Argentina in September and those matches would now happen in Australia.

NZR will face a multi-million-dollar hit from the loss of the matches, and the All Blacks will be required to quarantine on return to New Zealand.

Ardern has promised no exemption for the All Blacks, saying they have to play by the same rules as everyone else.

NZR remains desperate to hold on to their final two Tests of the year against South Africa.

Included in those matches will be the 100th Test between the two nations, 100 years from their first meeting in Dunedin.

The Wallabies are expected to get government approval to enter New Zealand and fly out on Friday.

Source: Rugby.com.au

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