Pumas see Europe's door closing
With all SANZAR Super Rugby franchises permitted to sign at least one overseas player, it is likely that in the coming seasons an influx of Argentinean players will head to Super Rugby.
Ultimately, with the Pumas now part of The Rugby Championship, the next step will be to see their premier players operating in Super Rugby, which will create more certainty for Argentines as their club and international commitments would not overlap.
Further to this could be the unwillingness of clubs in the North to take on Argentinean players who would need to be released for an expanded Pumas international calendar – not only taking part in The Rugby Championship, but hosting teams during the new ‘June’ test window.
The Leicester Tigers have set an early precedent.
Director of Rugby Richard Cockerill informed Argentina winger Horacio Agulla that the most successful English club in the professional era would not be extending his contract next season.
The 27-year-old finisher is expected to be named in the Pumas squad, which would result in him missing all of the Tiger’s pre-season and long segments of their Aviva Premiership and Heineken Cup campaigns.
"He's a bit disappointed, as we are a little bit, but you have to make tough choices," Cockerill told BBC Radio Leicester.
"Unfortunately for him that's the case and that may be the case for lots of the Argentine players because you will never have them for the pre-season. They only turn up half way through the season to play for you and that will be a difficult one for lots of people."
Full article: http://www.sanzarrugby.com/superrugb...-door-closing/
