Sam Whitelock has thrown his weight behind New Zealand Rugby’s decision last weekend not to send the All Blacks to Perth, a move that has delayed Bledisloe III against the Wallabies.
The All Blacks captain, speaking to Sky Sport on Monday evening, said he believed NZ Rugby was right not to let the squad board a charter flight ahead of the match in Perth, Western Australia, on August 28 because of the lack of certainty around the Rugby Championship programme.
NZ Rugby didn’t want the All Blacks to arrive in Australia and then discover the Springboks and Pumas couldn’t join them because no state would allow them to quarantine and train ahead of their games against the All Blacks and Wallabies.
“Yeah, I think it was a smart decision,’’ Whitelock told Sky Sport. “The reason it was a smart decision was because of the uncertainty of not only New Zealand and Australia but also … Argentina and South Africa and what it looks like for them to get into Australia.’’
NZ Rugby’s decision not to send the All Blacks angered their counterparts across the Tasman, with Wallabies coach Dave Rennie saying he was “bloody angry’’ about the way it has been communicated.
NZ Rugby chief executive Mark Robinson and NZ Rugby Players’ Association boss Rob Nichol have since stated that Rugby Australia was fully updated on the All Blacks’ plans, although it appears the way it was made public is clearly a sore point. All Blacks vs Pumas
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