Lobbe backs Six Nations bid
6 Aug 2008
Argentina loose forward Juan Fernandez Lobbe says it makes more sense for the Pumas to join the northern hemisphere competition than the Tri-Nations.
Argentina are likely to be pummeled at Ellis Park this Saturday when they meet the Springboks, a result that could count against their inclusion in the Sanzar tournament.
Lobbe, who plays his club rugby in Europe, said it would benefit the Pumas to play the home nations, France and Italy on a regular basis.
“Almost all our players play in Europe so it would be much easier for us to join the Six Nations,” he said. “[Finishing third in] the World Cup was a really big thing for us, but it is impossible to keep at that level if we only play six tests per year.”
Lobbe added that while it would be great to be involved in the Tri-Nations the fact that this tournament is staged in the northern hemisphere off-season is problematic.
“We would never get a holiday because we would be playing Tri-Nations when our clubs are on holiday and we would never get a break. Our clubs would not be happy and, in this professional era, they are our bosses. It is a really difficult decision.”
23 Comments
6 Aug 2008, 07:26 am
Argentinian dragons?
6 Aug 2008, 07:44 am
Scared to play in the Big leagues boys.
6 Aug 2008, 08:03 am
Just interesting, they get rest…wow
Our guys start training in January, playing from Feb – May, then tests and 3N and the CCup into October and then Novemeber tests.
Then they still have to follow some sort of training programme over Dec to be ready for full on training and trials in Jan.
So where is our guys rest?
6 Aug 2008, 08:21 am
“Argentina are likely to be pummeled at Ellis Park this Saturday when they meet the Springboks”
The same was expected of the Italian ‘B’ side…
6 Aug 2008, 08:22 am
It also makes more sense for the Boks to join the Northern Hemisphere competitions.
6 Aug 2008, 08:36 am
ja and if the tri nations were in the club on-season they would not be released to play. now what argie??
6 Aug 2008, 09:09 am
Let me spell it out for the IRB…
G L O B A L S E A S O N. That wasn’t too hard, was it?
6 Aug 2008, 09:45 am
Just like the Latinos
Always wanting a siesta.
There is no way the NH nations are going to admit the Argentinians. Too much of an elite club.
They will be told to go and play with Spain and Portugal and Brazil and do your own Four Nations samba
6 Aug 2008, 10:02 am
It makes more sense.
Have the Argentines ever beaten either of the SH teams?
I don’t think so.
regardless of the huge improvements they have made to become a very decent side, it would serve no purpose them getting beaten almost every year.
Nope, play the 6 Nations, I’d even place a bet on them winning it when at full strengh.
6 Aug 2008, 10:31 am
wooden spoon – I am fraid you are right. The IRB need to start working on a global season so that the new Tri-Nations is played the same time as the 6N. Then the winners of each could play each other. Each 6Nations game is played every second weekend, so then a Tri-Nations game could be played on each alternate weekend. The other alternative is to try and get all the argie players to play in the new S24 series, which means they have to leave big pay checks in the NH to come play for the argie peso. But then again i wouldn’t want to travel have the planet for less money and in a competition that could kill me physically.
6 Aug 2008, 10:32 am
#9 St.Petersburgbok: But if the join the 3N the ozzies nd kiwis wud also have travel a lot thus leveling the playing field
6 Aug 2008, 11:49 am
#11 BULLETHEAD Jnr:
yes I suppose that MIGHT help us….but will not help the Argies develope?
6 Aug 2008, 11:58 am
St.Petersburgbok – The argies have an impressive record at home against the wallabies and all blacks. They have drawn with both those teams at home a few years back.
6 Aug 2008, 12:14 pm
Tough one. Geographically it makes sense to play in the SH. They are in such **** time zone in any case. They could fly from BA, to NZ & Oz, then on to us, and back home, around the world trip. The same would happen with the incumbents and the travel playing fields would be level.
From a player perspective, it makes sense for these guys to play against the 6N teams, as it would mean less travel, but they won’t have a home game. And would it be financially viable for the 6N?
6 Aug 2008, 12:32 pm
The problem with admitting Argentina is that the clubs don’t want any more 6N fixtures eating into the season.
6 Aug 2008, 12:35 pm
Would playing in the 6 Nations Comp be of any benefit to the Domestic game in Argentina?
If not, then the exercise is pointless.
(Money in the bank maybe?……… all that glitters is not gold).
How phucked has rugby become.
6 Aug 2008, 12:38 pm
There was talk a couple of years ago that the Argentinians were keen to base themselves in Spain for the 6N (‘Castilian’ Spanish being the lingo in Argentina). Most of them play just over the Pyrenees in any event. It was also seen as a way to create interest in rugby in Spain.
This could work, if they would prefer that.
6 Aug 2008, 12:53 pm
#17 Wooden Spoon
Its great to develop rugby in Spain, but whats the point if its not your home country?
6 Aug 2008, 13:02 pm
#18 lion4ever: My personal preference is to get Argentinian clubs involved in Super rugby and for the national team to play in an expanded 4N. But, why would Argentinian players want to play for semi-amateur local clubs when they could earn more cash playing for professional European clubs? The local club game in Argentina needs to be fixed first, because Argentina’s involvement in the 4N will always be reduced to second string teams as long as their top players are representing greedy European clubs.
6 Aug 2008, 13:16 pm
#18 lion4ever:
“Rome was not built in a day”, so the saying goes.
I would like to see one or two Argentine Teams in the Super 14 first. Let them build a professional base from there.
(If that’s possible, considering the money on offer in Europe.)
6 Aug 2008, 13:16 pm
#16 cane: stop crying Cane, its a professional sport.
6 Aug 2008, 13:19 pm
#21 Big Hit:
“My own personal Crying Game”.
George Costansa.
6 Aug 2008, 17:14 pm
#12 St.Petersburgbok: who cares about the argies ! with pDv’s we shud be really worrying about boks. Pdv makes streuli look like the god of coaches . He’ll make the horrors of 2000-3 look like a walk in the park
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