The Wallabies will return to Canberra for the first time in four years for what looms as the capital's only major sporting event in the coming months.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
or signup to continue reading
The Canberra Times can reveal the Wallabies will host Argentina at Canberra Stadium on October 2, Rugby Australia scheduling a Saturday fixture to avoid a clash with the NRL grand final the following day.
Rugby Australia will unveil its Rugby Championship schedule on Wednesday, with the ACT government securing hosting rights to the city's first Test since 2017.
It will be a welcome boost for stadium officials and Canberra sporting fans, who are set to be starved of content over the next three months.
The Canberra Raiders will fly to Queensland on Wednesday to join an NRL Covid hub and the Green Machine could play all of their remaining games away from the capital.
The Raiders, who are battling for a finals spot, were to play four of their remaining eight games at home before they were forced to relocate as part of the NRL's bubble protocols.
The GWS Giants are also poised to cancel a fixture at Manuka Oval in three weeks because of Victoria's travel restrictions on anyone who has been in Canberra.
Rugby Australia is also weary of the coronavirus threat, which has caused chaos with all sporting codes for the past 18 months.
MORE CANBERRA SPORT
But lack of immediate live sport could work in rugby's favour and Rugby Australia officials will implore Canberrans to vote with their feet if they want the capital to host 2027 World Cup games.
ACT Sport Minister Yvette Berry said: "The ACT government is excited to be working with Rugby Australia to support the return of international Rugby to Canberra. Canberrans love having world-class sport at their doorsteps.
"An event like this delivers a boost to our local economy and is a special opportunity to inspire our thriving sports community to become the next generation of sporting legends."
Canberra is locked in a fight to secure any World Cup content should Australia secure the hosting rights, with a maximum of 10 venues to be used.
Rugby Australia officials see Canberra as a core rugby market given it is home to Australia's most successful Super Rugby club in the ACT Brumbies.
Australia's World Cup bid team has engaged with the ACT government about investing in the tournament budget, but any cash injection will hinge on the promise of high-quality games, costs and infrastructure requirements.
Now fans in the capital have a chance to prove they want to see Test rugby at Canberra Stadium.
More pressing for the Wallabies squad is their three-Test series against France which comes to a close in Brisbane on Saturday night.
Tickets are on sale for the third Test with Australian rugby officials hunting a big turnout after the NSW COVID-19 crisis inflicted a major financial blow earlier in the series.
The opening Test was shifted from the Sydney Cricket Ground to Brisbane, while crowd numbers were restricted for game two in Melbourne.
Canberra Stadium is currently able to operate at full capacity.
The Wallabies have more than a month between the third French Test and the Bledisloe Cup opener in Perth on August 21, but some players and officials face being kept out of their homes.
Sydney-based players and staff could be forced to stay in camp, which is currently based at Sanctuary Cove, or move to a safer area if NSW restrictions do not ease.
"The precedent is probably us Melbourne guys last year," Wallabies inside centre and Rugby Union Players Association president Matt To'omua said.
"When we did have time off last year, we hung around camp or went to a safer area. My guess would be something similar.
"Unfortunately it looks like it's probably not going to go away in this next week. We'll have a little break after this French series.
"I dare say they won't be allowed to go back into Sydney, so we'll have to figure something out."
Caden Helmers
Caden Helmers is a sports writer for The Canberra Times.
Caden Helmers is a sports writer for The Canberra Times.
