SANZAR has invited Argentina to join the Southern Hemisphere’s main international competition, in an expanded Four Nations from 2012.
How the players received the news
The offer is conditional on the Pumas guaranteeing that their best players will take part, which could cause a challenge given that many of them play in Europe. It is also subject to approval by broadcasters, and confirmation that the tournament will be financially sustainable, but at last Argentina have been recognised as an International force.
Having finished third at the Rugby World Cup in 2007, there has been much debate about where they can be included in an International competition, and at last SANZAR has acknowledged the fact that expanding the Tri-Nations is the most obvious solution. We’ll now wait and see whether it becomes official…
i think this is a big mistake as i don’t think the Pumas are good enough to join this tournament, yes some of you might be saying this is good for Rugby but this seems like a commercial move for SANZAR ,a money maker which i am sure will make the tournament boring
This is the news that we have all been waiting for and glad to know that finally the Pumas will get a proper tournament to compete. This can only be good for rugby global appeal.
Please visit my blog mundoalbiceleste.blogspot.com let us know what is your opinion about this major breakthrough.
Reading AZ’s comment I thought i might have slept through the winter and woken up on April Fools’ Day!
Argentina came 3rd in the last world cup, South Africa are the only tri-nations team that did better than them. For that reason alone they fully deserve their place in the tournament.
Fantastic news and i hope given the amount of time between now and when they will enter the tournament whatever difficulties they will have about being released from European clubs can be overcome.
Well we will see what will happen