All Blacks pull out of Bledisloe Cup, cancel Bok Tests

New Zealand has prevented its men’s team from travelling to Australia for their third Bledisloe Cup encounter and also cancelled two home Tests against South Africa due to Covid-19 travel restrictions.

In a statement issued on Friday, New Zealand Rugby (NZR) said it had “made the decision not to send the All Blacks to Perth this weekend for the third Bledisloe Cup Test” scheduled to take place on August 28.

No Bok Tests in New Zealand

NZR also confirmed that the All Blacks’ Tests against the Springboks in Dunedin at Forsyth Barr Stadium on September 25 and in Auckland at Eden Park on October 2 have also been cancelled.

It added that the country’s women’s side will no longer host Australia for matches in Christchurch on September 26 and at Eden Park on October 2.

“The decision follows advice from Government that the Springboks and Wallaroos would not be able to enter New Zealand to play the matches due to Covid-19 travel restrictions,” NZR said in its statement.

New Zealand this week went into a national lockdown after a case of the Covid-19 Delta strain, which spread from Australia, was detected.

Handré Pollard expects Argentina backlash

Meanwhile, Springbok fly-half Handré Pollard is bracing himself for a response from Argentina when the sides meet in their Rugby Championship rematch in Port Elizabeth on Saturday.

Pollard is one of eleven changes made to South Africa’s starting line-up that prevailed 32-12 in Port Elizabeth in Round One.

He comes back into the side after a victorious British & Irish Lions series, with the next objective to defend their Rugby Championship title from 2019.

The Planet Rugby Show - Episode Ten

Mark Smith and Adam Kyriacou bring you another Planet Rugby Show, covering the goings-on in the sport.