Argentina plan to take case for ‘Seven Nations’ to IRB

ARGENTINA will step up their bid to join the Six Nations by presenting their case to the International Rugby Board later this month.

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 their preferred option. The Union Argentina de Rugby, with help from the IRB, have been conducting a strategic review and will present their findings at the end of November.

Hugo Porta, the former Pumas fly-half and Argentinian minister for sport, will make the presentation when the IRB are gathered in London for a forum to discuss ways of implementing an integrated global season.

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 are determined to find a home for Argentina, who beat France twice, Ireland and Scotland en route to their best ever World Cup finish.

But any official application would have to go through either the Six Nations committee or SANZAR, the Tri-Nations governing body.

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

If the IRB can find a solution to the integrated season it would make Argentina’s move to the Tri-Nations more feasible on a logistic front, given they would not miss any European club rugby.

But Argentina appear set on joining an expanded Seven Nations, possibly basing themselves in Spain or Belgium. “In my view, it’s better for Argentina to be in the Six Nations,” said Marcelo Loffreda, who took over at Leicester today 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.”

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

He believes a move to the Tri-Nations would force the amateur UAR to build a professional structure and a professional domestic tournament.

That, however, is unlikely.

Loffreda explained: “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.”