All Blacks coach doubts Wales, Scotland Tests will go ahead
LONDON: All Blacks coach Ian Foster conceded Saturday the July home Tests against Wales and Scotland are likely to be scrapped as borders are locked down in the face of the coronavirus pandemic.
The official word from the three countries is that the Tests "are still planned for" but Foster said he cannot see them going ahead.
"If you look at the probability, there's a reasonably good chance that international travel and borders won't be down across the world at that point, so in that case the All Blacks won't be playing in July," he told Radio Newstalk ZB.
Foster added they could not keep international players at a level of match fitness just in case because "they'll just blow out mentally and get really frustrated with that because there's so much uncertainty".
"We want the players to settle down then we'll start expecting fitness levels to be at a certain point that when the lockdown finishes and we do start to think about a starting point for rugby again."
With New Zealand in lockdown until the end of April at least, the Super Rugby sides have indicated it could be several weeks before they are ready to resume the southern hemisphere club championship. - AFP