CAPE TOWN - Wallabies coach Dave Rennie is "bloody angry" with New Zealand Rugby’s decision to pull out of the third Bledisloe Cup Test and planned Rugby Championship schedule.
The All Blacks were scheduled to travel to Perth this weekend in preparation for their match against the Wallabies on August 28 but will remain in New Zealand.
The All Blacks were also due to face South Africa in Dunedin on September 25 and at Eden Park in Auckland on October 2 but the New Zealand government had advised NZR that the Springboks would not be permitted to enter the country.
"Bloody angry. I think it’s disappointing how it’s been communicated. Our boys all found out through social media," Rennie told reporters in Perth.
"New Zealand Rugby didn’t even have the respect to consult RA about their decision and that’s hugely disappointing.
"We made a commitment to play a Test in Auckland on the 7th of August and while we had players that had already been away for six weeks out of NSW, we honoured that commitment.
"They asked us to play an extra game because we couldn’t go back to Wellington on the 28th and we honoured that as well. They made a commitment to come here on the 21st, which they pushed back to the 28th, and now they’re not coming.
"We’re in limbo a little bit now, too. I just feel there is only one of us who are interested in doing what’s best for the game. It tells you more about them than us, I would say," added the New Zealand-born Rennie.
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Rugby Australia CEO Andy Marinos was equally upset.
"It's incredibly disappointing to be informed of this decision via the media, despite having a conversation with the CEO moments before and there no mention that this was the intention," Marinos said in a statement.
"Despite this outcome, I am confident we will find a solution for the whole Rugby Championship in what continues to be a very challenging environment in which to work.
"We have been engaging in positive discussions with both teams as well as government partners and were confident we were close to finding a solution."
Meanwhile, New Zealand Rugby chief executive Mark Robinson has defended the decision not to send the All Blacks to Perth and that the All Black remained committed to playing the third Bledisloe Test at an alternative time.
"We can understand the frustration and disappointment of Rugby Australia about the fact that we were unable to travel,” Robinson said.
"We have a huge amount of sympathy for the impact it has on them. As I said at the outset, we are absolutely committed to playing that game at some stage.
"Getting into a whole lot of speculation around who said what and when, doesn’t really help and doesn’t move forward.
"What we're trying to do is find a solution to a situation that balances our need to look after our people, with our commitment to make this tournament go ahead."
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