Argentina to join Super Rugby ranks
23 Nov 2011
The Pumas’ inclusion in next year’s Rugby Championship could eventually be followed by an Argentinian team making its debut in the Super Rugby tournament.
Argentina will play alongside Australia, New Zealand and South Africa in next year’s inaugural Rugby Championship. Now that the dream has become a reality, there could be further steps taken to ensure Argentinean players receive more exposure to top flight rugby, as top officials are talking about a possible future inclusion in Super Rugby.
‘With time there could be a franchise coming out of this region,’ said Saru deputy president Mark Alexander. ‘If we want to grow the game and we are serious about our partnership with Argentina, this is a new market for us and a growth area.’
South Africa has long been associated with Argentinean rugby, and lobbied strongly for the Pumas’ inclusion in a four-team southern hemisphere showpiece. Before Argentina was included in the Rugby Championship, South Africa had an invitational team, the Pampas XV, compete in the Vodacom Cup, South Africa’s feeder competition to Super Rugby.
‘South Africa adopted an approach about four years ago that we wanted Argentina to be part of this competition and one of our first initiatives was to get them playing in our Vodacom Cup back in our domestic league,’ Alexander said. ‘The Pampas won that competition last season so we work very closely with Argentina, we believe it’s good for the growth of the game to make sure the southern hemisphere has a strong presence in the World Cup.
‘There are a lot of talented players in the Pampas team, a lot of franchises were looking at contracting players, but due to the gentleman’s agreement we have with Argentina we asked our franchises to refrain from contracting the players so they could play as a unit, develop as a unit.
‘But there’s a lot of talent here, a lot of players who are eligible to play in South African franchises. There were 12 players who could be signed by franchises, they’re good players, they’re talented, they are ball players, we’ll work with them.’
A lot’s been done behind the scenes to ensure the best Argentinian players are available for the Rugby Championship, which will take place at the same time as many of Europe’s top club competitions. For an Argentinean outfit to field a competitive team in Super Rugby, they would also need to have the best players at their disposal.
Sanzar president Mike Eagle suggested that Argentina could eventually have their own conference, just as the three existing Sanzar nations had in the Super Rugby competition this year.
‘I know we’ve got complications with the northern clubs in releasing their players, that’s why we would like to integrate their younger players into our southern hemisphere competitions so they can be released like our players are,’ he said.
‘The ultimate goal for Argentina should be really to have their own conference of Super Rugby down here playing in front of their own fans. That’s why we’ve got a conference system and it’s easy to add conferences. You’d actually have your own professional teams down here playing in your own conference as part of the Sanzar competition and then you’d be in charge of the destiny of your own players, you don’t have to go and ask other clubs for their release and that would be a win-win for everybody.
‘I’d like to see Argentina become a part of Sanzar, not just an invited guest, and to go forward to have a professional conference running out of here.’
24 Comments
23 Nov 2011, 09:55 am
In fact, Cardinelli, SA rugby links with Argentina go a hell of a long way further back…. to the apartheid days when the Argies, posing as the South American Jaguars, came out here on a regular basis.
Hell, they even beat a fully fledged bok team in Bloemfontein once. But theere again not too much of a surprise, as they did have a certain Hugo Porta playing at 10… THE greatest flyhalf ever..
23 Nov 2011, 10:08 am
That Pampas team tore everyone apart this year. Imagine what havoc they will cause in the watered down Super Series.
Jeez that will push the Lions and Cheetahs even further down the table! Aich!!
23 Nov 2011, 10:22 am
@Great White Shark(Predawn)-2:
The Pampas ripped apart a competition equivelent to the NZ Hearland Championship which is 2 rungs down from Super Rugby.
In answer your question, bugger all!
23 Nov 2011, 10:22 am
Never a better time to now out of sanzar
23 Nov 2011, 10:27 am
@Brads(Brads)-3:
Underestimate the Argentinians and you will lose. The Tri-nations will see a few surprises.
23 Nov 2011, 10:33 am
F.uck. Brad is here.
Time for a bottle of wine
23 Nov 2011, 10:39 am
@Great White Shark(Predawn)-5:
I don’t under estimate them at all.
I also don’t think putting them on a pedestal and using the Pamas efforts in the Vodacom Cup as a pointer on how they would perform in Super rugby is realistic.
Good grief. The NZ Baby Blacks would have ripped apart that competition as well.
23 Nov 2011, 10:46 am
@Brads(Brads)-7:
I don’t see the need to disrespect Argentinian rugby and actually have made the Argies my second favourite team since their showing in 2007 and the Pampas showing in the Vodacom Cup. The Pampas made such a mess of the other teams that it was clear they had been put in the wrong competition.
The Argies will see off a few Kiwi, Aussie and South African teams when they join the Super Series.
23 Nov 2011, 10:55 am
@Great White Shark(Predawn)-8:
Where did I disrespect the Argentinians.
I questioned your putting them on a pedestal based on their performance in a competition which I agree they were wholely over strength to be involved with.
It was you who has disprespected the Super rugby by your suggestion they would do a similar demolition job on the “watered down” super series.
23 Nov 2011, 11:00 am
@Brads(Brads)-9:
Very much watered down. Too many games and too little interest as the teams play one another too often. Boring as all heck. Check the stadiums for 2012….I am willing to bet there will be even less interest.
23 Nov 2011, 11:28 am
South African media named them the Puma’s (accidentally) , that’s how far back we go with Argentina!
23 Nov 2011, 12:39 pm
Think this is a fantastic idea to grow world rugby , personally i cant wait to go and watch rugby in B Aires – it can only help
23 Nov 2011, 13:11 pm
Great White Shark – I thought the Pumas were very competive in this years RWC. Great ry against the ABs and were very competitive v ABs. THe Pumas are way better than Italy and will definitely have an impact in the Rugby Championship(**** name)!!
23 Nov 2011, 13:12 pm
stew – Especially with all the pretty latino girls!! Will make a change from the butch ozzies babes!!
23 Nov 2011, 13:55 pm
Makes plenty sense for Arg to be part of SuperRugby. That way they will be far more competitive in ‘The Rugby Championship’
Really looking forward to Arg joining us big 3 this year. Gonna be great.
23 Nov 2011, 17:42 pm
@race of tan(race of tan)-13:
With the right development I can see Argentina becoming a rugby heavyweight. They have the right mental attitude and a passion for the game which is missing from the likes of Scotland and a few others.
24 Nov 2011, 00:13 am
Isn’t this a bit arse-about-face?
It makes more sense to give them a look in for Super rugby first before letting them join teh Trinations…
24 Nov 2011, 01:11 am
If Argentina join SANZAR would that make it SANZARAR
24 Nov 2011, 01:17 am
NASA
NZ
Australia
SA
Argentina
24 Nov 2011, 01:18 am
Or even better, NAAS.
24 Nov 2011, 01:18 am
If we add Kenya and Samoa we can have SNAAKS.
24 Nov 2011, 07:43 am
@SjamBok(SjamBok)-17:
no, because arg only really been strong as a national outfit and not as provincial or club teams.
they have no high salary paying domestic comp to speak of which further makes the case to try them at national level, because they have proved themselves on past performance, as opposed to club/provincial/franchise level just yet.
its a case to develop them at super level.
@wooden spoon(wooden spoon)-21:
24 Nov 2011, 09:03 am
@SjamBok(SjamBok)-17:
They’ve been playing first class rugby for years. The Super Series is just an added bonus for the Pampas to get better and kick more arse.
24 Nov 2011, 11:08 am
@wooden spoon(wooden spoon)-19: Or just plain NAAS
New Zealand
Australia
Argentina
South Africa.
Mr Botha would be happy !!
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