In a coup for Australian rugby, Queensland is set to host The Rugby Championship while Perth remains likely to host Bledisloe III.

After a week of frosty tensions between the four SANZAAR partners, Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk is gearing up to make the announcement on Tuesday after “moving heaven and earth” to secure the TRC.

As one rugby source said, “She’s taken personal charge of it.”

SANZAAR officials, including the four CEOs from Australia, Argentina, New Zealand and South Africa were locked in meetings on Monday evening to flesh out the details.

While the TRC appears set in stone, the third Bledisloe, which was supposed to be played on August 28, is yet to be firmed up because of a possible AFL clash on the first weekend of September.

Rugby Australia however remains hopeful the Test will be played on either September 3 or 4, with a sell out expected at Optus Stadium. It will be the first time the venue has hosted a rugby Test since the Wallabies smashed the All Blacks 47-26 in 2019.

Despite sensationally withdrawing from the August 28 fixture last Friday citing “player welfare” concerns due to the uncertainty surrounding the TRC, New Zealand Rugby CEO Mark Robinson had repeatedly said the All Blacks remained committed to playing the Test.

His counterpart Andy Marinos was left blindsided by their withdrawal — announced via a press release before a Friday SANZAAR meeting — and had earlier asked for any decision to be delayed until Friday afternoon as they tried to sew up hosting the tournament with the Queensland Government. Instead, NZR pushed ahead unilaterally much to the surprise and disappointment of their SANZAAR partners.

Of equal concern was NZR’s plans to put a consortium together to try and take the tournament up north for commercial profit, as revealed by foxsports.com.au.

NZR’s hasty decision to withdraw ultimately delayed the fixture by a week and has added to deep-seated distrust between the long-time partners.

By securing the TRC, Australians will see the world champion Springboks play four matches in as many weeks, including the 100th Test between South Africa and New Zealand.

After the Springboks withdrew from last year’s tournament citing “player welfare” concerns due to the lack of match practice because of Covid, it will be the first time the world champions have played against Australia since claiming their third Webb Ellis Cup in 2019.

It is understood the tournament will feature four double-headers running from September 10 to October 3 and played in Brisbane, Townsville and on the Gold Coast.

After the NSW Government pulled the pin on housing Argentina and South Africa during their quarantine period, RA had been working with Palaszczuk on where to have the respective nations set up camp.

It appears at least one nation will head to the Wallabies’ base at Sanctuary Cove, with the All Blacks also set to join their trans-Tasman rivals on the Gold Coast.

With that, it might allow the two nations to heal some re-opened wounds.

Following the TRC, all four nations will head north to Europe and the United Kingdom for their end of year spring tours.

But one destination that won’t be on the itinerary for the Wallabies as hoped is Japan.