![The Wallabies received their second COVID-19 vaccinations this week. Picture: Getty The Wallabies received their second COVID-19 vaccinations this week. Picture: Getty](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/36vwtM5n3dmMVgNPycRBEHz/232aa242-033a-4d55-9a97-52ee9614337c.jpg/r0_288_3414_2207_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
SANZAAR has locked in the final Bledisloe Cup Test for September 5 with Perth Stadium to host the Wallabies and All Blacks in a Sunday afternoon showdown.
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Confirmation of the third Test is a welcome sign for SANZAAR after New Zealand turned their backs on initial plans to play the match this Saturday.
The Wallabies are already in Perth, where the squad received their second COVID-19 vaccinations on Thursday in a move veteran prop James Slipper hopes will be a step towards normality.
"There's a lot of players from Sydney who haven't seen their families for probably three months now, and that's probably not going to change for the rest of the year," Slipper said.
"It's obviously difficult, and there are a couple of players here expecting babies, and other players who have kids already and they haven't been able to see them for months. It's been very hard.
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"We're in a position that we're still able to work, so we're forever grateful to do what we do. I feel like as a Wallaby, we're doing our bit to make the community safer.
"For us, moving forward as a country and as a world, vaccination is the key to an open life and life as we used to have it."
The All Blacks will leave several leading players behind in New Zealand when they travel to Perth.
Stand-in captain Sam Whitelock, scrumhalf Aaron Smith and flyhalf Richie Mo'unga have been left out of the 35-strong travelling squad for the Perth Test. All three are on paternity leave.
Hooker Codie Taylor is expected to replace Whitelock as captain as the All Blacks attempt to sweep the series 3-0.
Whitelock, Smith and Mo'unga are expected to rejoin the New Zealand team for matches next month in the Rugby Championship, depending on quarantine and other issues.
After playing the Wallabies in Perth on September 5, the All Blacks will move to Queensland for the remainder of the Rugby Championship and other players will join them there.
"The uncertainty is the hardest thing to prepare for. Not knowing what's coming, are we playing, are we not playing, all that sort of stuff really weighs heavily on players," Slipper said.
"Once the game is scheduled and we've got at least a week of preparation, we'll be fine. To play the All Blacks and win, you've got to play 80 minutes. It's irrelevant which country you are in, you've got to take your opportunity when you get it.
"We've obviously been pretty disappointed with how we've played, especially in that second game in Auckland, but for us as a group and quite a new group, we're trying to really forge our identity and how we want to play. We let ourselves down, to be honest, in those first two games."
All Blacks squad: Asafo Aumua, Samisoni Taukei'aho, Codie Taylor, George Bower, Ethan de Groot, Nepo Laulala, Tyrel Lomax, Joe Moody, Angus Ta,avao, Karl Tu,inukuafe, Ofa Tuungafasi, Scott Barrett, Brodie Retallick, Patrick Tuipulotu, Tupou Vaa'i, Ethan Blackadder, Akira Ioane, Luke Jacobson, Dalton Papalii, Ardie Savea, Hoskins Sotutu, Finlay Christie, TJ Perenara, Brad Weber, Beauden Barrett, Braydon Ennor, David Havili, Rieko Ioane, Anton Lienert-Brown, Quinn Tupaea, Jordie Barrett, George Bridge, Will Jordan, Damian McKenzie, Sevu Reece.
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