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Has the All Blacks' end of year schedule been leaked?

Author
NZ Herald,
Publish Date
Thu, 2 Jul 2020, 8:56PM
Last year's Bledisloe Cup match. (Photo / Photosport0
Last year's Bledisloe Cup match. (Photo / Photosport0

Has the All Blacks' end of year schedule been leaked?

Author
NZ Herald,
Publish Date
Thu, 2 Jul 2020, 8:56PM

The All Blacks' Bledisloe Cup schedule may have just been accidentally released by broadcast partner Sky Sport.

In a tweet promoting the upcoming rugby to be broadcast on the sports channel, Sky Sport included dates for the Super Rugby Aotearoa and Australian Super Rugby competitions, as well as the provincial Mitre 10 Cup and North v South clash - all competitions which have had their fixtures confirmed.

However, at the bottom of the graphic, they also included dates for four Bledisloe Cup tests between the All Blacks and the Wallabies - on October 10 and 17, and November 1 and 8.

The tweet was swiftly deleted.

The now-deleted tweet. Photo / Sky Sport Twitter

The now-deleted tweet. Photo / Sky Sport Twitter

It is understood that the first Bledisloe Cup test is tentatively scheduled for October 10 in Wellington as part of a four-test series, but the other dates remained fluid, and none of the matches have confirmed by New Zealand Rugby.

However, if confirmed, the fixtures would likely see the two sides play in Auckland on October 17, while the 15-day gap between the second and third tests would theoretically provide a two-week quarantine period for both sides to relocate to Australia to play the remaining two matches, which would both be held on Sundays.

If a trans-Tasman bubble has not been implemented by that point, it is understood that both the All Blacks and Wallabies would likely be granted an exemption not only to enter the country, but also to train while in quarantine, so they could resume the series after two weeks.

Both the New Zealand Warriors NRL side and Wellington Phoenix A-League squad have received similar exemptions to resume their trans-Tasman competitions. The Wallabies would also have to enter New Zealand in late September to prepare for the first test.

NZME have contacted NZ Rugby to confirm the schedule's legitimacy.

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