Argentina take a step up

[beige]

Argentina contracted 31 local players on Tuesday in the first step toward professionalising rugby at home so it can ultimately play in the Tri-Nations.

Pumas coach Santiago Phelan chose 31 players to receive 2,300 pesos ($655) per month from the Argentine Rugby Union in a plan financed and supervised by the International Rugby Board. The IRB will invest $8 million over the next three years.

Read more: http://www.planetrugby.com/Story/0,1...892597,00.html

[TOCC]

yeah apparently its most of the U20 squad

[jargan83]

is $655 a month realisticly going to compete with the money in Europe? Even all this economic nonsense going on surely not?

[Burgs]

It is quite a bit of money to a player who doesn't really want to go overseas Jargs, certainly a handy fillup to a regular job salary.
I found in Argentina a different kind of passion for the sport than the Kiwi's, but one just as strong, if not stronger.
If they can stay home and make a living playing more regularly for los Pumas they would.
Certainly not the final solution but a very significant stepping stone to true SH comp.

[jargan83]

It is quite a bit of money to a player who doesn't really want to go overseas Jargs, certainly a handy fillup to a regular job salary.

I will agree that it would be a handy little top up, but comparing $655 to something they could be offered in Europe?

I do agree that it is a step in the right direction as for those Island Invading Argies

[unipirate]

Come on now that island invading happened a long time ago, lets all just get over it!!

Can only be a good thing for rugby in the SH, maybe in about 2 RWC they might be contenders? That may be optimistic!

[Burgs]

They certainly have as good a raw product as any other top tier nation UP, it's purely senior development and retention holding them back.

If you were being cynical you may suggest that is why the other nations aren't in a rush to develop them...

[AndyS]

As noted, it is a first step. In truth, what they have done is make the domestic game semi-pro, which is a start. They are still a long, looong way from playing 3N though.

On that, here is how they would fit into various competitions:


Basically, they couldn't fit worse with Super rugby and the Tri-nations - both travel and broadcasting. That is a lot of travelling for a team that can only afford a few hundred bucks a month per player, and who'd be watching the game live?

For mine, the most logical fit for Argentina would be:

• a fully professional side based in Europe playing in the 6N, mostly drawing players from the European clubs. The players would be available because club rugby takes a break for that comp anyway, and it would be in a perfect time zone for televising home
• domestically based semipro (eventually professional) teams playing in an American Super competition and corresponding 4 nations. The players would get high level playing exposure, again in a time zone that would play to television.

It would be interesting to see what effect this structure would have on players going to Europe - if they didn't make the 6N team, and weren't being seen in the domestic competitions, they would risk falling out of the selectors RWC thinking. It could make for a hell of a derby too...

Right, that is the hard part done, now for the IRB and home nations to take the bigger view and act in the best interests of Argentina and Rugby.

[Sheikh]

Actually, Andy, European club rugby doesn't take a break during the 6N. Those clubs who have international players lose them (and get their wages re-paid) but that's a BIG reason why European clubs employ so many foreign players.

Agree about Argentina having a team in the 6N, though. Base them in, say, Barcelona (nice day out for the other nations fans).

However, having Argentina in the 6N shouldn't make it a 7N - have relegation/promotion of one team a season into the European Nations Cup (sort of Six Nations B). Are, say, Scotland or Italy sure of bouncing back up after a relegation season? What chance Georgia, Romania (or Russia?) getting into the 6N? Also means that French clubs would have to release their East European front-rowers for internationals (they're not currently obliged to do so) and so should force the French to start growing their own again.

[jargan83]

Actually, Andy, European club rugby doesn't take a break during the 6N. Those clubs who have international players lose them (and get their wages re-paid) but that's a BIG reason why European clubs employ so many foreign players.

I just checked and the Guinness Premiershup, Magners League and the Top 14 take a break for the 6N. Check their Fixtures pages

[Burgs]

Not sure of those times Andy, once you go past the Prime you probably need to be going backwards to Australia and New Zealand?
Perth is further in time and distance than Sydney.
That is Perth should be -11, Sydney -9 and Auckland -7, still a fair difference though, agreed.
Not really that much different than Auckland to South Africa though.
Also are the distances flight distance (ie shortest route under the globe) or straight line "east-west"?
When I took off from Santiago to Auckland we flew straight down the Chile coast, not west as I would have thought. This would also impact on flying to SA.

[AndyS]

They were listed as flight distance.

Time difference would be based on what day it is. +13 is not the same as -11, otherwise it would be a different day (as opposed to decade) in Perth and Sydney.

Agree that these distances already affect the NZ and SA teams (and the Saffers are just so stoic about it too), but at least they can make a tour of it. Tough for everyone to fly that far for a one-off, and the Argies would almost have to go on one great big tour.

[Burgs]

I imagine they would end up on two long away tours with two home blocks to match. Also depends if we are talking Super Rugby as well or just the Tri (Four) Nations.

If Super Rugby, then looking on "The World Clock" site the current times are:

Perth * Fri 3:30 PM
Brisbane Fri 4:30 PM
Sydney * Fri 5:30 PM
Auckland * Fri 7:30 PM
Johannesburg Fri 8:30 AM
Buenos Aires * Fri 4:30 AM

So an 8PM kick off in Perth would be a 7AM in Argentina.
Might just mean when Argentine teams are in WA that they are played on Saturday nights to allow for Saturday morning TV audiences.
East Coast and NZ may have to go to a midday kick off, again on a Saturday.
SA matches would be no major hassle either way.
It would only be affecting a team once every two years under the current season structre.

[Burgs]

Another option I floated a year or two ago was in the development phase (two years perhaps) for them to forego some of their Home Fixtures for revenue by say playing Australian or maybe Kiwi teams in Melbourne, South African teams in Perth etc.
Not ideal for loyal home supporters but a fantastic way of developing a strong united squad and turning some pesos back into the Argentine Rugby coffers too.

[Sheikh]

I just checked and the Guinness Premiershup, Magners League and the Top 14 take a break for the 6N. Check their Fixtures pages

OK, the Magners does break during the 6N, and the Top 14 does for most of it (clashes on two of five weeks) but the Guinness Premiership only breaks for the opening weekend, and expects their players back for the clubs for the 6N bye-weeks.

Due to the set-up of the leagues - the Magners League was set up to help the national squads - the Guinness Premiership seems to do everything in it's power to hinder them.