Plan for Wallabies v All Blacks triple treat

A triple-header Bledisloe Cup series in December is among the revolutionary ideas being modelled by rugby officials dealing with the COVID-19 crisis.

James O'Connor makes a break during Australia’s win in the opening match of last year’s Bledisloe Cup in Perth Picture: AAP

A triple-header Bledisloe Cup series in December is among the revolutionary ideas being modelled by rugby officials dealing with the COVID-19 crisis.

While Rugby Australia is focused on the return to Super Rugby or a domestic tournament from July, officials at the Melbourne Rebels devised a three-tiered model dealing with local and foreign border restrictions for the remainder of 2020.

Given the radically increasing rates of coronavirus in South Africa, it seems unlikely Super Rugby will resume in July, if at all this year. The third proposal designed by Rebels officials in their spreadsheet, obtained by The Australian, is the possibility of playing only New Zealand at the end of the year.

The idea would be to play the three-Test series against the All Blacks over three successive weekends, on December 5, 12 and 19.

It would be preceded by the five-team domestic competition involving the four Super franchises and Western Force, followed by the Possibles v Probables Wallabies audition, and a potential State of Origin game.

There are also discussions around staging an All Stars rugby match similar to the NRL’s for compelling content to satisfy broadcast demand and re-engage fans.

The triple-header Bledisloe idea is a hugely appealing prospect as speculation increases that the borders of Australia and New Zealand will be closed for an extended period, likely curtailing the scheduled opening two games in August.

The Bledisloe series has been truncated in recent years due to the packed Rugby Championship series, meaning the third match is played two months after the initial two. If this proposal transpires, it would mean Aussie and Kiwi rugby fans can be transfixed on a series for three straight weeks without interruption.

One figure suggested that even if restrictions remained in place in December, the governments of either nation could make an exception for the rugby teams, have them fly on a chartered plane and be placed in quarantine for 14 days before playing out the series and sharing the much-needed revenue.

Meanwhile, Israel Folau is set to reignite his international sporting career by playing for Tonga at next year’s Rugby League World Cup.

Tongan team spokesman and cultural leader John Hopoate revealed that coach Kristian Woolf has spoken to the sacked Wallabies star and indicated he will be in their squad for RLWC 2021 if his form warrants.

Folau took a confidential settlement from Rugby Australia in January, believed to be $3.1 million, following a lengthy legal battle regarding his social media posts about homosexuals that saw his contract terminated.

He has since joined French Super League club Catalans, after signing a contract with strict conditions around his social media posts, and showed glimpses of his trademark attacking flair before COVID-19 put a halt to the season.

The league World Cup will be played in England in October-November 2021, and Folau is set to come up against the Kangaroos jersey he represented from 2007-09.

“The coach, Kristian Woolf, has made contact with him and let him know that if he’s playing good enough he will be in our team,” Hopoate told The Lockdown With Big Fiddy podcast, hosted by Fidel Tukel.

The Daily Telegraph