The Rugby Championship, an annual quadrangular rugby tournament between Argentina, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa, could be under threat, due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.
Last year the tournament was held but without the participation of South Africa.
This year the tournament is scheduled to go on as normal, beginning next month, although most matches will be played in Australia and New Zealand. South Africa is due to host two matches, against Argentina, at the beginning of the tournament.
A Covid-19 free trans-Tasman ‘bubble’ was in place between Australia and New Zealand, allowing quarantine-free travel between the two countries. However, an outbreak of Covid-19 in Australia has ‘popped’ this bubble, meaning that people travelling to New Zealand from Australia will have to quarantine, which places the Rugby Championship in jeopardy.
The New Zealand government has said that the requirement to quarantine when entering the country will continue for at least eight weeks.