Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has quashed any hopes All Blacks may have had of avoiding Christmas in quarantine after the Rugby Championship, saying it wouldn’t be fair on others going through the same process.
Under New Zealand’s current Covid-19 border restrictions, the All Blacks will need to spend two weeks in a managed isolation facility when they return from Australia after their final Test against the Wallabies on December 12.
It means players will spend the festive season in lockdown – a situation New Zealand Rugby said they were looking to avoid when organising the draw with SANZAAR.
But despite not signing off on the draw, SANZAAR has confirmed the dates for the Rugby Championship, including the December 12 match.
The Labour leader talked logistics of how Kiwis could spend the end of the year in Australia.
NZR said they are now working on solutions to resolve the issue but Ardern said the Government won’t be helping.
"There are others who won't want to be stuck in quarantine over Christmas, but that's just the reality of our process," Ardern told Newstalk ZB.
"I don't think (the All Blacks) would feel that comfortable with us creating a different regime for them, because it exists for the same reason."
However, Ardern did offer some small hope earlier on TVNZ1’s Breakfast when she said it was “possible” Kiwis could travel to some Australian states by Christmas.
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