The ACT Brumbies hope to ignite their title defence with a trial match on home soil but COVID-19 threatens to throw a spanner in the works.
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The Brumbies' plans for a Super Rugby AU pre-season clash with the NSW Waratahs in Bowral on January 30 have been scuppered by the coronavirus pandemic.
Government-imposed restrictions impacting travel have forced the hand of Australia's five Super Rugby clubs on the road to round one.
Clubs have agreed to slash the number of pre-season games to one with the Brumbies on the verge of announcing their plans.
The club is likely to host a trial in Canberra but the situation is constantly changing.
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"We're obviously really disappointed we aren't going to be able to get down to the Southern Highlands and take on the Waratahs later this month," Brumbies chief executive Phil Thomson said.
"There is a lot of support for rugby in the region with a lot of excitement around the event and we'd like to acknowledge the work already gone in by the Bowral Blacks Rugby Club who have gone to great lengths to get this event off the ground.
"We hoped the COVID-19 situation would have moved in a different direction but unfortunately the franchises have had to make this decision in the best interest of the upcoming Super Rugby season."
The Brumbies are poised to welcome back their entire Wallabies contingent in the coming week as they set their sights on a round one clash with the Western Force in Perth on February 19.
Clubs are anxiously keeping an eye on border restrictions after the Force and Melbourne Rebels were forced to relocate for the 2020 campaign.
The start of the Super Rugby Trans-Tasman competition adds another layer of complexity with international travel back on the radar from May.
Caden Helmers
Caden Helmers is a sports writer for The Canberra Times.
Caden Helmers is a sports writer for The Canberra Times.
