Buenos Aires - Argentina, set to play in a revamped Four Nations from 2012, have moved a step closer to joining the tournament's governing body SANZAR, former Pumas captain Agustin Pichot said on Friday.
The Argentine Rugby Union (UAR), whom Pichot represented at a meeting of SANZAR (South Africa, New Zealand and Australia Rugby) in Sydney that ended on Friday, wants to secure a permanent place in the southern hemisphere's top competition.
"Now, yes, there is only a little further to go to be officially part of Sanzar when everything is signed," Pichot was quoted as saying on the UAR website (www.uar.com.ar).
Pichot fought long and hard to obtain a place for the Pumas, who he led to the bronze medal at the 2007 World Cup in France, in a top annual international competition. They were the only team in the world's top 10 not playing in such an event.
"It has beem a long, tiring process but I hope that now we have an accord. It has all been agreed and in SANZAR's hands and they must send the agreed (points to us) in writing one last time," Pichot added.
The former scrumhalf said that with the Tri Nations already an economically successful competition, the challenge now was "to give it added value, not only on the pitch but also off it."