Argentina applies to Six Nations

[Jehna]

Argentina applies to Six Nations

9/11/2007 7:40:43 AM
PA Sport

The Six Nations committee confirmed on Thursday it has received a letter from the Argentina Rugby Union requesting a place in an expanded tournament.

The Pumas are anxious to build on their third-place finish at the World Cup by gaining entry into one of the established annual competitions.

The Tri Nations is a possible home but, with almost the entire national squad playing their rugby in Europe, the Six Nations remains Argentina's preferred option.

A Six Nations spokesperson told PA Sport: "The Six Nations have received a letter from the Argentinian Union. We will acknowledge receipt of that letter to the Argentinians."

The International Rugby Board (IRB) is determined to find a home for Argentina, which beat France twice, Ireland and Scotland en route to its best World Cup finish.

But there are commercial and logistical complications that would have to be considered, such as existing television and sponsorship deals.

And an extra week would also have to be found in an already-packed season to incorporate a seventh team into the tournament.

Hugo Porta, the former Pumas first five-eighths and advisor to the Union Argentina de Rugby, will present the Pumas' case for inclusion to the IRB later this month.

Porta said: "We will present our strategic plan to the IRB, which we have been working on at the UAR for a long time with the purpose of getting Argentina included in future international competitions.

"So many of the current players consider it more viable to play in the Six Nations in Europe because it's there that most of the Argentinian players play."

The IRB is meeting in London for a forum to discuss ways of implementing an integrated global season.

If it can thrash out a solution to the thorny issue, it would make Argentina's move to the Tri Nations more feasible on a logistic front, given the players would not miss any European club rugby.

Pumas centre Felipe Contepomi believes the long-term future lies in the Tri Nations, otherwise it risks being too reliant on European clubs to keep signing up Argentinian talent.

"If it is in the northern hemisphere, it could be good for the short term, for this team of the Pumas, but you will be depending on many European teams contracting Argentine players," he said recently.

"If, in 20 years' time, that doesn't happen then you will have a very big problem. You have to make the way of growing Argentinian rugby.

"I think if we go to the southern hemisphere, we have to be based in the southern hemisphere. We have to have a professional tournament at home and develop a professional structure."

But Argentina appears set on joining an expanded Seven Nations.

"In my view, it's better for Argentina to be in the Six Nations," said Marcelo Loffreda, who took over at Leicester yesterday after eight successful years as Pumas coach.

"All the overseas players are playing in the northern hemisphere so it's impossible to make a competitive team in the Tri Nations.

"It's not going to be possible for Argentina to have a professional league. We don't have the sponsors or the money.

"The only way Argentina can stay this competitive is to get the best players having professional preparation and they have to go overseas for that."

[Jess]

Personally I'd rather see the Argies get accepted into the 6 nations than into the trinations tournament. Pretty much because I think they play very exciting rugby to watch and with more teams in the northen hemisphere competition, would get to watch more of them!
Does throw a bit of a spanner in the works I guess in terms of already existing agendas and sponsorship deals but I can't see why they wouldn't be able to accommodate the pumas in the long term. These deals will have to run out eventually then they can slot in an extra team and start fresh.
I'm a bit reluctant to want them to join the trinations probably because on this matter I'm a bit of a conservative. What I love about this tournament is it's based on a long history of rivalry and I just can't see people getting as fired up about us playing the pumas as they would when we play the kiwis or the saffas. But I guess that's the same in the 6 nations too. Hmm... this is a pickle.
But in saying that I wouldn't be devastated if they joined our comp... will still watch.

[bort]

they certainly deserve to be somewhere, i agree with jess tho, id rather it was a 7 nations than a 4 nations, it just lacks the rivalry that already exists between the current trinations team, where as since the 6 nations is bigger already the rivalries would be slightly more diluted already (theres only so many teams you can hate with a passion)

[AndyS]

I was a little surprised that the UAR is still amateur. To me, Loffreda's statement about their inability to have a professional league screams out for an American competition with teams from Canada, the States, Argentina, Uruguay etc but separate from whatever they do in 6N or the TN.

Better than continually expanding the 6N to the exclusion of others (like last time, Italy in and Romania not), maybe they should look at two divisions of 6, with the second division initially being say Argentina, Portugal, Georgia, Spain, Russia and Romania. Last and first are relegated/promoted, fifth and second play-off. That would put some spice into the existing 6N, and give teams like Georgia and Portugal something to aim for.

[Burgs]

I'm a supporter of them coming into the 3N, mainly on the grounds that Contepomi states.
Going north will have absolutely zero benefit for development in Argentina and leaves them totally reliant on Europe to continue professional Argentinian Rugby.
The UAR Board has their head in the sand pretending we are still an amateur sport but happy for others to develop their national team.
The logistical issues are achievable (I just checked, Buenos Aires to Sydney is the same flight time as Auckland to Cape Town) and they are screaming out for a couple of provincial teams to be in a Southern Hemisphere Pro Comp.
SANZAR should be falling over themselves in finding a way to include Argentina into the SH.
I am really looking forward to a by product of my trip next year being to get a first person exposure to Rugby in Argentina.

[frontrow]

I am with Burgs on this one, Southern hemisphere rugby stays in the southern hemisphere, and as it (tri nations) is played in the European summer then the players will most likely be available to play in our winter...

[AndyS]

The UAR Board has their head in the sand pretending we are still an amateur sport

Interestingly, their position is that "It's important to continue amateur club rugby because it carried the Pumas to their success," [UAR secretary Raul Sanz]. Doesn't that share a lot of similarity with "we must make sure that the ARC doesn't negatively affect club rugby". They are not the only ones prepared to cut their cloth to protect the amateur levels.

The logistical issues are achievable (I just checked, Buenos Aires to Sydney is the same flight time as Auckland to Cape Town) and they are screaming out for a couple of provincial teams to be in a Southern Hemisphere Pro Comp.

If that is the case, then amend my earlier post - it is equally reasonable to expect Japan, Canada and the US to be included in the national level comp and presumably a few teams from each in the Heineken cup. They are NH teams and, if anything, their flight times would be less than ours.

[Burgs]

"because it carried the Pumas to their success"...yes Raul and imagine how strong they would have been witha Pro Comp back home

For mine (which may differ from Contepomi and perhaps some TWFers, not sure) I'm not suggesting them having a fully pro National comp, we don't even have that yet, I am referring to having two teams in a SH comp, perhaps one in the capital run by the Unión de Rugby de Buenos Aires (who run the Buenos Aires League) and another in Cordoba representing all the Provinces.
There are already two strong Amateur Comps in Argentina, it is purely the wages and sponsors missing so the structure is already in place really.

Back to 3N v 6N, as discussed last year, as a stepping stone it could be feasible to play the Pumas 3N "home" matches in Perth as a halfway point between NZ and SA too.

[The InnFORCEr]

Back to 3N v 6N, as discussed last year, as a stepping stone it could be feasible to play the Pumas 3N "home" matches in Perth as a halfway point between NZ and SA too.

Now we're talking Burgs....and where do you think we would play this match??

[JediKnight]

I'm with Burgs & Frontrow......get the Argies into the 3N......I reckon that any Aussie, Kiwi or Saffer supporters who don't want this are just running scared that the Argies'll give them a touch up!!!!

Love the idea of the Argies playing their home games in Perth.....awesome!!!!

[Seldom]

Right on the money JK

[jazza93]

as soon as sanzar show some intrest in the argies playing with us the NH rugby will want them so we have to keep quiet.

if they do join us then what will we call sanzar and tri nations. if they can come up with a good name then i welcome them.

[bort]

if they wanna have home games over here bring them to to the trinations! lol
otherwise the AndyS divisions idea has some merit i recon

[prop53]

Argies for Europe, let us have Tonga, Fiji and Somoa now thats how it should be. Our own back yard first.

[JediKnight]

Argies for Europe, let us have Tonga, Fiji and Somoa now thats how it should be. Our own back yard first.

Feel more comfortable playing the Islanders, eh? It won't be long before they're good enough to beat the Aussies on a regular basis!!!!