Saturday’s Rugby Championship Test between Australia and Argentina will go ahead as scheduled despite six Pumas players and two staff members now being locked out of Queensland due to a COVID-19 breach.
Governing body SANZAAR confirmed the breach this morning and said it was “very disappointed” with the Argentinians actions.
The eight squad members – including players Pablo Matera, Santiago Medrano, Felipe Ezcurra, Joaquin Diaz Bonilla, Sebastian Cancelliere and Santiago Socino – went on a day trip yesterday from their Gold Coast base to a health retreat in New South Wales’ Byron Bay.
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It meant that when they tried to return to Queensland, they were stopped at the border.
SANZAAR said the group will remain in NSW and will not be available for the Test against the Wallabies on the Gold Coast on Saturday.
They will then rejoin the rest of the touring squad on Sunday to fly back to Argentina.
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There are 44 players in the Pumas squad so losing six means they can still comfortably field a team.
But it is another body blow for Argentina who are winless after five games and were furious after being snubbed in a promotional photo shoot last week.
TODAY’s Jessica Millward reported the breach before it was confirmed by SANZAAR.
“Police have confirmed that eight members of the Argentinian team, including players, went in a bus to Byron Bay yesterday for a health retreat,” she said.
“When they tried to come back across the border, they didn’t have the appropriate documentation, they were turned away.
“They’ve spent the night in a Kingscliff hotel.
“You can only go from Queensland into northern NSW for a small number of things, they include essential work, compassionate reasons and medical reasons.
“Those reasons do not include a health retreat.”
Restrictions on cross-border travel were loosened this week, but only for residents of Tweed Heads, Byron Bay and Queensland traveling for work, education, care or essential shopping.
“Put really simply, they went to Byron Bay, they tried to come back in without the appropriate authorisations and approvals, so they were refused entry,” Queensland deputy police commissioner Steve Gollschewski said.
“I’m not aware of any exemption, if they are to come to this state, they will have to abide by all the conditions which will include quarantine.
“At this stage they remain in New South Wales with no exemption to get back in.”
The Argentina Rugby Unio also released a statement on Thursday saying those involved were “all in perfect good health, lodged at a hotel in the area, waiting for their current condition to be solved.”
“At the same time, an internal process has been put into place in order to clarify and to determine responsibility for what has happened.”
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The Wallabies-Pumas Test at Cbus Super Stadium will be played before the All Blacks-Springboks clash on Saturday.
The stadium will be at 75 per cent capacity after the Queensland government announced revised COVID-19 restrictions.
New Zealand has won the Rugby Championship with Australia currently sitting second.
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