Wallabies coach Dave Rennie has cast major doubt over New Zealand Rugby's plans for the first two Bledisloe Cup tests.
On Friday, the Rugby Championship was awarded to Australia, dealing NZ Rugby a major blow. Hosting the opening two Bledisloe Cup tests was intended to ease that pain.
Newshub understands NZ Rugby is attempting to have the first test played on the weekend of October 10, meaning the Wallabies would only have one week out of quarantine to prepare.
That proposal doesn't sit well with Rennie, who's adamant his side will not play in such circumstances.
"NZ Rugby's got an expectation that we jump on a plane the day after the Super Rugby final," Rennie says. "Have two weeks in quarantine, where we can't prepare as a team, and then play a test seven days later.
"Under those quarantine arrangements, I can assure we won't be playing a test in New Zealand that weekend."
If the first Bledisloe test were to be played on October 10, it would mean the Wallabies would only have a week to prepare as a full squad, given New Zealand's quarantine rules only allow bubbles of 15 and 25.
"That's just unacceptable and, like I said, we won't be playing a test under those conditions," Rennie adds.
Rugby Australia has said October 17 is the earliest they'd be prepared to play. That is a non-negotiable date.
But Rennie thinks it would be fairer to play them in Australia.
"If New Zealand came over here, both sides going into a bubble for two weeks… hopefully they're still up for negotiation."
It seems there's still plenty of water to go under the bridge before the Bledisloe tests are confirmed.
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