All Blacks first-five Richie Mo'unga will be considered for selection for Saturday's Rugby Championship finale against South Africa, after completing his mandatory quarantine period in Brisbane.
Mo'unga was a late arrival in Australia, after staying back in New Zealand for the birth of his second child, and immediately entered two weeks of isolation.
The Crusaders star has rejoined the squad for this week's training, where his readiness for a return to test rugby will be assessed against his lack of recent play.
Mo'unga hasn't taken the field since the second Bledisloe Cup test win over Australia at Eden Park on August 14 and a fortnight in a hotel room would have done his conditioning no favours.
The mercurial playmaker was one of the All Blacks' stand-out performers during the July tests and the opening two Bledisloe Cup matches in Auckland, consigning two-time World Rugby Player of the Year Beauden Barrett to the bench.
Barrett has impressed since reclaiming the No.10 jersey in Mo'unga's absence and the Cantabrian's availability could pose the selectors some difficult questions.
Conversely, they may choose to keep Mo'unga on ice, with the Rugby Championship title already safely secured and an arduous schedule looming on their upcoming northern tour.
"[He's been] snappy and sharp at the training, so there is lots of enthusiasm from him and that really does inject a nice energy to the group," says assistant coach Scott McLeod.
"But in terms of the week, we need to have a look at him as well. He's been inside for two weeks and he's been working hard, but we need to have a look at him on the training field, and assess where he is at and what's best for the team."
Mo'unga's newfound freedom was short lived, as tournament organisers ordered players and staff to isolate in their hotels amid a COVID-19 outbreak in Brisbane, with four new community cases reported on Tuesday.
All four teams have been allowed to continue training at closed sessions, but are otherwise confined to their hotel, unable to mix with the public, McLeod confirms.
"It's Level 2 in terms of the tournament, so we're not allowed to go out of the hotel, except for essentials or for medical visits," says McLeod.
"We're hotel bound, but we've been that way a number of weeks now. We know how to have some fun, and I'm sure we'll do that the next day or two.”
The outbreak has placed a number of local sporting events in doubt, with the Sheffield Shield cricket match between Queensland and Tasmania called off just before the toss.
On Sunday, Brisbane is to host the NRL's Grand Final at a sold-out Suncorp Stadium, but that could be shifted to Townsville in north Queensland, if required.
"It's something that is unexpected, but we've had this before and we've dealt with it really quickly. Like I say, we've learnt how to have fun as a group now inside, so we will continue to do that."
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