Argentina is a good side. They placed third in the last world cup. I think they earned the right to be in a world class rugby competition like the tri nations.Why dont they allow argentina into the tri nations and change it into the four nations?(rugby)?Argentina should play in 6 nations, but be based in Spain to save everyone travelling to South America
Why dont they allow argentina into the tri nations and change it into the four nations?(rugby)?
I don't think that the talent of the Argentinian side is the problem (and i think that adding a new team would spice it up a bit). But the tri-nations should remain the same mainly for the heritage of the game. It has been the tri-nations for many years now and changing it would make it lose the current reputation it has.
Why dont they allow argentina into the tri nations and change it into the four nations?(rugby)?
I do think it is something to think about. Every summer for the past few years we keep getting the same stories that SA wants out of SANZA and wants to play against Northern sides. At present it has been reported that Saracens club in the UK is being dveloped for SA players to come to England and play. Is this the forst step?
With these stories continually circulating, I do think that the Argies should be approached, nothing definite just an expression of interest.
I might be mistaking, but as far as I know at the previous SANZAR meeting a 15th Super team was approved along with a 4th team in the Tri Nations for around about 2011.
The 4th team for the Tri Nations will probably be Argentina, while the 15th Super franchise is yet to be decided.
**Edit**
http://www.sport24.co.za/Content/Rugby/2…
My bad only the 15th Super franchise havee been approved, Whether the Pumas will join the Tri Nations is still up for discussion.
World cup success doesn't mean anything.
Argentina's Rugby is strapped for cash, they're not quite good enough yet and their players play in Europe which will add complications to gme schedules.
I'm all for including Argentina into an expanded competition but they're not ready yet. First they need a cash injection to keep developing players and keep some talent in Argentina. In the mean time they can play all three tri-nations teams on suitable season dates to give them some exposure to the top level. Keep it like that for five years and they'll be ready to play and quite possibly beat the tri-nations teams.
No one denies that Argentina is a first-class side which belongs in a first-rate competition. And there is a plan in the works for one or more Argentinian-based teams to join the super-14.
That said, real problems exist in travel-costs (a big problem for super-14 as things stand) and especially time-zone issues. I live in Canada (same time-zone as Argentina, more or less) and we can cope with the time-zone changes for Europe -- an afternoon game in England just becomes an evening game here. But afternoon in Austrralia is middle of the night in Argentina. That is deadly to TV revenue. And jet-lag is already a big issue for super-14 teams during away trips -- one reason why the super-14 teams are bleeding talent to the European clubs.
Economic and time-zone issues would make the six nations the logical choice for Argentina to join -- but is already big enough without taking another week out of the fall and winter club schedules. Not a good situation.
The real logical candidates for joining tri-nations are the other Pacific teams -- Fiji, Tonga and Samoa. Or maybe a permanent combined Pacific Islanders side, if those rugby unions can truly get their act together.
With all this talk of expanding competitions were getting to the stage where there is too much rugby for the players. This will cause injuries %26amp; shorten careers.
In the super 14, their expanding it to the super 15 next year, with the possibility of another SA team added in the near future. The Kiwi's are already saying that super rugby has bastardized the NPC, with most of the NPC not having the best players playing in it.
If Argentina are added to the tri nations, sure they are good enough, but how long until there are calls for a combined pacific island team being added? Or Namibia? Or Japan? Or Canada?
This will mean the tri nations period will have to be expanded %26amp; will cause the bastardization of super rugby. Where do we draw the line? When is too much rugby too much?
A few years ago, the idea of a combined Nth Hemisphere team vs a combined Sth Hemisphere team was scrapped due to 'too much rugby' %26amp; that was 1 more game a year that was being proposed.
At the end of the day, I'm not opposed to adding Argentina to tri rugby, but is it good for the players? If the players are burning out, is it good for the game?
the main problem is the time zone difference.
it is hard enough to travel to south africa and not be jet lagged... add argentina to the list... and all the teams would be exhausted.. simply from travelling.
I think the main problem is due to the fact that most of Argentina's top players play in Europe during the Tri Nations season. They don't get enough money from Argentina, so how can they get them to play for less money. They can send a B team, but we all remembered what happend last year when they played with a B team against the Boks. But I really do hope they join.
