Argentina's Future

[Burgs]

Where to for Argentina?
This has been covered before however, as described below, Argentina are continually performing extremely well against all comers in the Top Ten on only the "table scraps" of assistance from the IRB with fixturing and matches with the higher teams.
Generally they have to fight the English Premier Clubs for access to their best players as well.
For me, I would love to see Argentina in an expanded Tri Nations, even if for time zone sake they needed to be based in Perth or Melbourne for example.
Surely the pressure is mounting for them to be allowed in either of the two annual major International competitions?

Argentina in new Six Nations plea

From correspondents in Paris
November 26, 2006

ARGENTINA coach Marcelo Loffreda renewed his plea for the Pumas to be accepted into an expanded Six Nations tournament.

After a just-finished international program which saw the South Americans beat England 25-18 and Italy 23-16 before falling to a narrow 27-26 loss to France, Loffreda believes his team deserve their place in the competition.

"We are hoping that the International Rugby Board (IRB) and the organisers of the Six Nations can facilitate our participation," said Loffreda.

"It's something that we have been asking for a long time."

Loffreda believes the three-match autumn series has given the Pumas further ammunition with which to fight their campaign.

"We are highly satisfied with the tour. We'll leave Europe with a reputation because we have claimed two important victories and suffered just one narrow defeat."

Inspirational skipper Agustin Pichot also insisted that Argentina deserves to be playing more international matches on a regular basis.

"I think the rugby world must consider the future of the Argentinian team," said Pichot.

"Sometimes we only play four matches a year. We won't be playing again together for seven months for the start of the World Cup.

"We were ready to beat England and Italy and we beat them. We did everything to try and beat France, the second best team in the world, and we lost by just one point."

Agence France-Presse

[chook]

Expanded 3N..ie: 4N. And if they sort out their own union and get some decent dosh from gate takings, well that would be good

[blueandblack]

"Quad Nations"

[chook]

TRI+1 Nations

[Shaun]

7 nations

[brokendown gunfighter]

7 nations

one nation

[Sagerian]

Tri nations, kick south africa out and let the argies in.

[frontrow]

Wasn`t there talk along those lines anyway, chook? If SA left, it wouldn`t take too long to fill the void then, Argies or pacific islanders team instant fillers

[Darren]

one nation

It took me 24 hours, but I finally got it

[Flat-top]

Your more than welcome to make room in the tri-nations for them.

For a start we have a large enough gap in the NH due to the 6 nations international weekend and certainly don't need to add another fixture in an already busy callendar (although creating a second tier which included teams like Pumas, Spain, Portugal, Georgia, etc and provided a promotion/relegation would be an option).

It would make logistical sense to add the Puma's to the tri-nations and base them in SA. Add in a Pacific Island side and maybe even the Japanese as well and you could avoid having to play home and away each season and create a fixture schedule akin to the current 6N. This would also benefit the Islanders (making them less keen to become AB's) and provide Japan with competitive fixtures before they host a World Cup themselves.

[The EnForcer]

Your more than welcome to make room in the tri-nations for them.

For a start we have a large enough gap in the NH due to the 6 nations international weekend and certainly don't need to add another fixture in an already busy callendar (although creating a second tier which included teams like Pumas, Spain, Portugal, Georgia, etc and provided a promotion/relegation would be an option).

It would make logistical sense to add the Puma's to the tri-nations and base them in SA. Add in a Pacific Island side and maybe even the Japanese as well and you could avoid having to play home and away each season and create a fixture schedule akin to the current 6N. This would also benefit the Islanders (making them less keen to become AB's) and provide Japan with competitive fixtures before they host a World Cup themselves.

What a great idea FT....I never considered a two tier setup before. From the Pumas perspective I reckon joing the six nations is the better option as it gives them a broader range to play against. We have to consider that the Pumas may have peaked and will take a while to regain such form and, if that is the case, the six nations would give them better potential to develop. And, going back to the two tier idea, that would be great for euorpean rugby development.

[Burgs]

The only trouble is that Argentina is consistently in 6-9th position (6-9, av 7.78 ) while the others are mid to bottom twenty.
The suggestion of a second tier is a good one however Argentina deserve better than that.
I would propose the "next 6" European nations would make a suitably even competition.
The IRB ladder period since mid 2003 the following has been their rankings:

Romania- 13-18, av 14.53
Portugal- 15-21, av 17.71
Georgia- 16-23, av 19.21
Morocco- 19-26, av 21.09
Russia- 18-26, av 23.26
Spain- 25-32, av 29.36

This doesn't solve the Argentina problem however.
If it is not an option to include them in the 3N, which I believe to be the smartest move, then perhaps the IRB need to look towards a "Pacific Rim" Championships to include:

Argentina- 6-9, av 7.78
Samoa- 9-12, av 10.76
Fiji- 9-12, av 10.77
Canada- 13-16, av 13.45
USA- 13-16, av 14.56
Japan- 16-20, av 18.35
Tonga- 12-20, av 18.54
"Pacific Barbarians" (A composite team made up from a set ratio of other Pacific nations, Papua New Guinea, Cook Islands etc, and Islander heritage players who aren't required for Test duties by Australia & New Zealand)

That would provide a strong annual comp and if it was required to go to a ten team comp then Australia and New Zealand could both provide "A" XV's as well.

[fulvio sammut]

It took me 24 hours, but I finally got it

Ok, I'll bite. Please explain.

[Shaun Barton]

Go on, let SA go to 6 nations where they might win a game.
bring in the puma and an islander team and the Japs.

make sup 14 a 5 month season and quad-nations 4 monthes (after),
sweet!

[Darren]

one nation

It took me 24 hours, but I finally got it

Please explain.

he he...

South Africa to leave the Tri-Nations and join the "One Nations" competition....