Rugby: Rugby Australia's $5m threat to New Zealand Rugby

The transtasman rugby war has turned even nastier, with Australia threatening to chase New Zealand for $5m in compensation over the Perth test shambles.

The Sydney Morning Herald has reported that Rugby Australia wants a written guarantee from New Zealand Rugby that it will play a rescheduled Bledisloe Cup test in Perth on September 4.

The West Australia Government paid RA $5m to host the test and wants that money back if the All Blacks fail to turn up again because of the Covid crisis. RA would seek the money from NZR.

RA boss Andy Marinos told the SMH: "I've made New Zealand very aware that we have a contract and they've made a commitment."

RA needs Perth locked in within days, and wants a written NZR guarantee.

"I want it in writing," Marinos said.

"We have an email but we need a letter for both the government and the stadium as well. That should be forthcoming pretty soon."

NZR chief executive Mark Robinson has previously said the All Blacks were held back on player welfare grounds, with so much uncertainty over where the Rugby Championship would be played.

The SMH also claimed that the Rugby Championship could still be shifted to Queensland, instead of Europe, thanks to that state's fast-tracking of moves to allow the South African and Argentinian teams into managed isolation.

The plan to play the Rugby Championship in Europe includes an All Black-Springboks test match at Twickenham. The All Blacks are also due to play the American Eagles in the United States in October, followed by four tests in Europe in November. NZR has already confirmed MIQ places for the touring All Blacks from late November.

Robinson has expressed sympathy for Australia's position, but transtasman rugby relations are clearly in the gutter.

Australia's Kiwi coach Dave Rennie has slammed the way NZR communicated the Perth test withdrawal.

And Marinos doubled down on his criticism of NZR, insisting again that RA had been caught unawares over the decision not to fly the All Blacks to Perth for the test this Saturday.

"At no stage did he communicate on that call that they were about to send a media release," he said.

"That's what absolutely blindsided us. I tried to phone him. He didn't answer my call.

"They made their position quite clear. I would never deny that (but) they chose to make a public statement without telling us at all."