Bledisloe Cup: New Zealand backs down on Wallabies’ quarantine measures

The October 10 Test is now a real possibility after Jacinda Ardern relaxed rules so the Wallabies can train in isolation.

NZ Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, right, says the Wallabies, led by coach Dave Rennie, left, will be able to train during quarantine ahead of Bledisloe Cup Tests. Picture: Getty Images

The October 10 Test is now a real possibility after New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern relaxed her country’s quarantine regulations to make it easier for the Wallabies to train while in isolation.

Wallabies coach Dave Rennie had insisted that the NZ quarantine protocols left Australia with an “unacceptable” situation whereby the full team could not come together until six days before the scheduled Auckland Test.

Michael Hooper was included in a new-look Wallabies squad. Picture: Getty Images

But the situation changed dramatically overnight when Ardern contacted her Australian counterpart Scott Morrison to ensure that the two Tests will go ahead. The Tests were initially scheduled for October 10 and 17 in Queensland but, following the decision to move The Rugby Championship to Australia, fairness dictated that NZ be granted some international rugby this year.

But there had been no way Australia could clear quarantine in New Zealand under the old regulations and still be able to prepare for a Bledisloe Test against arguably the best side in the world. But following the changes confirmed by NZ’s Director-General of Health Ashley Bloomfield, it would seem that an October 10 Test has become possible.

The new rules state that the Wallabies, after being individually isolated for three days, will be able to do full squad practice after just six days. Previously, the 44-man Wallabies party would only have been allowed to come together six days out from the Test.

“The quarantine changes are more around whether or not the director-general is happy for teams to be training together while they are in quarantine. The answer is yes,” Ardern said.

“What Ashley Bloomfield has said is training can happen in three days and he said because of the risk profile for Australia being lower relative to the other teams being talked about previously that full squads can also train together from the six-day mark so that means you can have full regular training while they’re in quarantine.

“Everyone is pulling out all stops to make it work.”

Rugby Australia so far has not responded to the NZ changes but it pretty much has scored a major victory. And while the lead-up to an October 10 Test is still compressed, they now appear to give the Wallabies a fair chance of preparing properly.

If, in fact, the October 10 and 17 schedule goes ahead for the Auckland and Wellington Tests, it would actually ease the situation regarding The Rugby Championship which is scheduled to begin on November 7. Both the Wallabies and All Blacks would be able to do their quarantine in Australia without the time pressure that would have resulted had Australia had its way and the Bledisloe Cup series finished on October 24.

Indeed, it now might even be possible to move the entire tournament forward a week so that the end date became December 5 rather than December 12.

As things stand at present, New Zealand and Queensland players would both be forced to spend Christmas in quarantine if the December 12 end date remains.