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Pumas eye Tri-Nations

27/02/2007

Argentina's rugby union side is angling for inclusion in an expanded Tri-Nations tournament next season in order to boost its standing in world rugby.

Despite being ranked number six in the world, above England, Wales, Italy and Scotland, Argentina are not involved in any annual international tournaments which would allow them to develop players and make the sport more high-profile.

Argentina also showed their mettle on their tour of the northern hemisphere last autumn, when they registered impressive victories at Twickenham and the Stadio Flaminio and lost by just one point at the Stade de France to world number two side France.

After initially angling for inclusion in the Six Nations, the Argentinean rugby union authorities have changed tack and are focusing their attentions on lobbying the Australian, New Zealand and South African governments to be admitted into the southern hemisphere's Tri-Nations tournament.

This annual competition includes a number of home and away fixtures between the three countries and takes place between July and September every year, and Australian rugby union chief Gary Flowers confirmed that "there's been approaches on a government-to-government basis".

The International Rugby Board have joined the Argentinean government in lending its support to the idea. Chief executive Mike Miller noted: "There is nothing to stop it happening next year if everyone wants it to."

One major stumbling block to Argentina's inclusion at the moment is the existing television rights package that has been negotiated to run until 2010 in the existing format.

Any changes to the tournament would mean this contract would have to be amended.

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