No Tri-Nations for Argentina before 2012

Argentina will have to wait another four years, at least, before joining a major annual international tournament, probably the Tri-Nations, an International Rugby Board (IRB) official said on Wednesday.

Argentina will have to wait another four years, at least, before joining a major annual international tournament – probably the Tri-Nations – an International Rugby Board (IRB) official said on Wednesday.

Argentina's best-ever team took them to third at the World Cup in 2007 and the Pumas have long yearned to 'run with the big boys'.

But because of internal problems in the Argentine Rugby Union (UAR) and television rights already in place, they will half to wait until after the next World Cup according to the IRB's Mark Egan.

The Pumas are the only top 10 Nation not involved in a major tournament. For years they have been knocking on the door of the Six Nations since most of their players ply their trade for top European clubs.

But Egan, head of IRB rugby services, today said that the Tri-Nations was a more likely option.

“The natural fit is for Argentina, which lies in the south, to play in the southern hemisphere. Broadcast and commercial agreements really mean that the earliest mooted time would be post rugby World Cup 2011,” said Egan.

“This assumes that the UAR is ready to join and has the necessary structures in place.

“It became evident that there was no prospect of expanding the Six Nations due to the complex nature of the northern season and the fact that expanding it would greatly impinge on the professional club season which would be unacceptable to the clubs,”

“It requires a transition period of planning and development and the first step is to increase the number of tests the Pumas play while SANZAR [who organise the Tri-Nations] reviews its tournament structures.

“For some time there has not been any unanimous agreement on the way forward for the UAR and this was highlighted by no planning to capitalise on the World Cup success of the Pumas.

Over the years, the main stumbling block has been divisions within the UAR over how to retain the amateur ethos of the domestic game while building an elite of professional players capable of playing in an annual major competition.

A new Argentine Rugby Union (UAR) board was elected less than two weeks ago and Egan is scheduled to visit Buenos Aires this week to meet the to discuss the way forward for Argentina.

This will involve a gradual buildup of professional structures for elite players and participation by Pumas A teams in tournaments such at the Churchill Cup and Nations Cup.

Argentina long ago qualified for IRB funds to help them develop high performance centres and gradually turn the top end of their game professional without disturbing the amateur clubs.

Egan said the funds had yet to be released because the UAR “had to show how they were going to utilise the funding for high performance programmes but they never developed such a model despite assistance from the IRB.”