The chances of a revamped Rugby Championship taking place this year have taken a blow, with Argentina loose forward Javier Ortega Desio testing positive for COVID-19.
Ortega Desio has been excluded from the Pumas training camp for the international tournament, also featuring New Zealand, Australia and South Africa.
The 57-cap Jaguares back-rower was named in Mario Ledesma’s 46-man locally based training squad two weeks ago, but never got into the camp.
“The player never trained at Casa Pumas, because he was fulfilling mandatory isolation,” the Argentina Rugby Union (UAR) says.
“In the days prior to the start of training, he had presented symptoms such as fever and general malaise, which later confirmed the presence of the coronavirus.”
Southern hemisphere rugby’s governing body SANZAAR hopes to run the Rugby Championship in November and December.
COVID-19 travel restrictions sparked plans to stage the tournament in a single hub in New Zealand, but a second coronavirus outbreak in Auckland has put that proposal on the backburner.
Argentina still reports thousands of new coronavirus cases every day and the government has enforced strict social- distancing measures.
The Pumas camp will continue in Buenos Aires, but all players will be tested for the virus before the third week of training commences.
Reuters/Newshub
