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Argentina to join Tri-Nations

2009-09-14 07:41

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SANZAR CEO Andy Marinos (File)

Sydney - SANZAR has extended a conditional invitation to Argentina to join the Tri-Nations from 2012 to create a new “Four Nations” Championship.

Andy Marinos, Acting Managing Director of SA Rugby and CEO of SANZAR said: “To have the Pumas, third at Rugby World Cup 2007 and currently ranked sixth in the world, join with the three top ranked international teams in world rugby will be exciting for fans, players, sponsors and broadcasters across our four countries and beyond. They play a different style to the All Blacks, Springboks and Wallabies and their inclusion will see the Tri-Nations evolve to be a truly Southern Hemisphere Championship”

“With the significant progress the UAR has made in transforming rugby in Argentina and making the case to SANZAR for it to be included in the Tri-Nations, we are confident that SANZAR, the UAR and the IRB can work together to confirm the Pumas participation from 2012”

The President of the UAR, Porfirio Carreras, said: “This is a momentous time for rugby in Argentina and I would like to thank my board and everyone who supported us to reach this point. We are very much looking forward to working with our partners in Australia, New Zealand and South Africa to secure our place in the best competition in world rugby in 2012”

The format for the new Four Nations will see the four teams playing on a home and away basis meaning six matches per team and a total of 12 matches overall.

The Four Nations will be played from mid-August (following the end of the new Super Rugby competition) for an eight or nine week period through until early to mid-October. In a Rugby World Cup year an abbreviated format will be played through July and August.

Your Comments

Marcelo9/18/2009 8:01 PM: Los Pumas achieved a lot in France in 2007 without the Tri-nations or the Six Nations. It is quite outstanding that the Pumas have done it without the technical and financial resources and training facilities that the Springboks, the All Blacks or the Aussies have. It is even more remarkable that the Pumas had just 3 months to prepare for the 2007 Rugby World Cup in France. So guys just imagine what the Pumas can achieve when given equal opportunities.

wavecycle9/15/2009 10:44 PM: I think this is a great move, and I agree with Banana and Selma: the Super 14/15 tournament should be cut back. Too much rugby just dilutes the talent and the excitement, and it is also a huge strain on those players' bodies. Welcome Pumas!

Shaun9/15/2009 10:31 PM: I think it is great but again there is no clarity. Are the Arg. players involved in the super 14 as well as 4 nations. What are the logisitcs with regards to travel. If we have travel issues going to NZ and Aus can you imagine how the Arg. guys are going to feel. Maybe it would have been better to have Argentina, USA and Canada havint their own tri-nations ?????

Dell9/15/2009 7:48 AM: I'm quite happy about this, but I just hope they can organise the logistics so that no one team benefits or is hampered by travel requirements. I think the Argies will be great for the tournament and after one or two 4N tournaments, they too will be pummeling the NH teams on a regular basis ..... he he.

Banana9/14/2009 11:55 AM: Nice shake up, I think that playing each other three times as the current format stands waters down the rivalry between Boks/Kiwis/ Auz. Selma, agreed, we need to peg back the Super 14 too, less rugby, and more competitve games, relegate the monows like Reds, Cheetahs and Highlanders...

Selma9/14/2009 11:15 AM: Greed rules. At least SA will not end up at the bottom of the log again. The Super 14 must be reduced to the Super 10 - 3 sides each from SA, NZ and OZ and 1 side from Argentina. Our players are playing far too much rugby.

Sharkie439/14/2009 9:51 AM: Ronnie, you mean now there is another team to beat the Aussies and ABs. Go Bokke.

Ronnie9/14/2009 9:05 AM: Now the Aussies and AB,s can also win a couple of games..Hahaha ,sore losers

Zullie9/14/2009 8:15 AM: This has been talked about for years - a great idea, BUT is the intention to bring a new dimension to the southern hemisphere game, or is it a money making plan? Two there things need to be considered if they are going to extend "conditions" - 1. Argentina MUST field their best players, most of which are based in France. 2. This will bring about more rugby abgain for the players to play, so they should consider not having a "Four Nations" tournament in a World Cup year. Why wait till 2012 - do it next year as an experiment and not the 2011 world cup. Well done Bokke - really proud of you guys.

Derek9/14/2009 8:01 AM: This can only be good for the game. The 3nations needs a bit of a change. The Pumas play a good game and will inject a new style into the 3- Nations. Hope this happens

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