The near-impossible task of pulling off the Rugby Championship in 2020 just got even harder with confirmation that Argentina players have tested positive for Covid-19.
The Argentine Rugby Union confirmed this afternoon six Pumas have tested positive for the coronavirus and have been isolated.
"After completing a new round of PCR tests, in order to minimise the risk of contagion and be able to start the health bubble, the results yielded six positive cases of Covid-19 in the campus," the union said in a statement.
"All of them asymptomatic and already fulfilling preventive isolation.
“The players are Juan Cruz Mallía, Emiliano Boffelli, Bautista Delguy, Rodrigo Fernández Criado, Bautista Pedemonte and Lucas Bur."
It comes after loose forward Javier Ortega Desio was unable to join the 46-man camp last week after also testing positive.
SANZAAR officials have been optimistic about pulling off the Rugby Championship – which features the All Blacks, Wallabies, Springboks and Pumas – this year despite Covid-19.
Last month they said they were working with the New Zealand Government in an attempt to host the entire competition here.
"Having successfully restarted Super Rugby this year in Australia and New Zealand, our focus is now on The Rugby Championship that is set to be played in one central location," SANZAAR CEO Andy Marinos said.
"We have determined that New Zealand is currently the favoured option given the Covid stability within the region. Critical to this, however, is alignment with the New Zealand Government around its requirements for this to take place."
"SANZAAR is well advanced in option planning with New Zealand Rugby, which in turn, is now seeking New Zealand Government approval."
However since then, Auckland has suffered an outbreak of the virus which yesterday led to New Zealand’s 23 rd Covid-linked death – the first in almost three months for the country.
Australia has also had issues with Covid-19 in Victoria and both South Africa and Argentina are still reporting thousands of new cases daily.
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