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National

Bledisloe 3 is back; All Blacks to head to Perth

The All Blacks are to depart for Australia for the third Bledisloe test after all. The team will face the Wallabies next Saturday at Opta Stadium in Perth.

The team was originally scheduled to leave for Western Australia last weekend (playing the Wallabies on Saturday). However, NZR chief executive Mark Robinson pushed back the departure due to uncertainty over the Rugby Championship schedule.

Robinson said given New Zealand’s managed isolation hotels had no openings till November, he couldn’t ask the team to leave not knowing where or when they’d be playing.

“Once the team leaves our shores, they currently can’t return until November 23 post their Northern Tour, so given the uncertainty [around the Rugby Championship Schedule], it makes sense to pause and get more clarity on these fixtures,” he said at the time.

Te Ao Māori News understands SANZAAR executives locked the schedule on Monday evening.

Following the third Bledisloe test the All Blacks will set up camp in Queensland for the remainder of the Four Nations Rugby Championship.

Over the weekend there were discussions Bledisloe three could have ended up in the northern hemisphere as Australia and New Zealand battle their respective coronavirus outbreaks.

Hopes the test would’ve been played at Wembley were dashed when Queensland authorities agreed to provide entry (with quarantine) for the Argentinian and South African teams.

The remainder of the rugby championship will be played out in Australia before the All Blacks head to Europe for the northern tour.