The fading hopes of a New Zealand-based Rugby Championship have been dealt a further blow thanks to a fresh COVID-19 outbreak amongst the Argentinian players.
The Pumas are currently in camp at home, training for the possibility of competing in a revamped tournament later in the year.
But on Saturday, the Argentina Rugby union announced six players from the squad had tested positive for coronavirus and were immediately placed in isolation.
The news has put the mooted four-nation competition in serious doubt, given New Zealand's strenuous border restrictions, with the health and safety of all the players involved likely to be of utmost importance.
Even without the Pumas latest COVID-19 lapse, the staging of the tournament in New Zealand was murky given the government won't lift current Alert Levels until at least September 17.
Western Australia has also been suggested as a potential 'Rugby Championship 'bubble', given the state has all-but eradicated the virus, with the State's infection tally at just 655, with no new cases for several months.
Argentina has been severely hit by the pandemic with thousands of new cases reported every day.
"After completing a new batch of PCR tests, in order to minimise the risk of contagion and be able to start the health bubble, the results yielded six positive cases of COVID-19 in the camp," said an Argentina Rugby tweet.
"All of them are asymptomatic and already fulfilling preventive isolation.
"The players are Juan Cruz Mallía, Emiliano Boffelli, Bautista Delguy, Rodrigo Fernández Criado, Bautista Pedemonte and Lucas Bur."
Forward Javier Ortega Desio returned a positive test for COVID-19 prior to the squad assembling for its training camp last month.
Newshub understands New Zealand Ruby's original plan was to stage the Rugby Championship over six weeks in October and November, preceded by two Bledisloe Cup tests, played in Australia.
Newshub revealed this week a contingency planning is already at an advanced level, with NZR preparing for All Blacks tests to be limited to just Bledisloe Cup matches.
Starting mid-October, two of those would be in Australia - likely in Brisbane or the Gold Coast - before two return tests in New Zealand.