The All Blacks’ Tests against Wales and Scotland – due to take place in July – have been officially postponed “until further notice”.
The All Blacks were scheduled to play 2 games against Wales on July 4 in Auckland and on July 11 in Wellington; and a one-off Match towards Scotland on July 18 in Dunedin.
Yet New Zealand Rugby announced tonight that the games have now been delayed after a World Rugby consultation that looks at Covid-19 ‘s effect on the global competition.
In a release, World Rugby said lengthy travel and quarantine constraints and questions over sufficient player training time indicated that it was difficult to hold some form of international rugby tournament in July.
“Potential impact planning for the upcoming international windows for 2020 begins in coordination with international rugby partners and the respective authorities.
“All decision-making will depend entirely on central government travel, quarantine and health advice, as well as valuable player welfare and hosting considerations in line with World Rugby’s recently published guidance on returning to rugby.”
CEO of NZR, Mark Robinson, “was really pushed out of our possession. From the viewpoint of New Zealand, we are adopting a realistic attitude to the Multinational Test Programme.
We are working actively to pursue every and every chance this year to play All Blacks Tests as well as Black Ferns Tests and to observe some policy talks on a potential trans-Tasman bubble with Australia with great interest.”
Leave a Reply