Southern hemisphere rugby’s governing body, SANZAR, has invited Argentina to play against the Wallabies, South Africa and New Zealand this year.

International Rugby Board (IRB) chief executive Mike Miller confirmed SANZAR’s approach yesterday.

The Australian Rugby Union later confirmed that SANZAR had made the invitation in early December.

“To date the ARU is not aware of any reply from Argentina,” an ARU spokesman said.

Miller is currently in New Zealand with an IRB party to assess the country’s progress in preparing for the 2011 World Cup.

However, the invitation is conditional on Argentina fielding their strongest side, Miller told NewstalkZB.

South Africa’s The Times newspaper reported on Sunday the Pumas would play each team once during the Tri-Nations, whenever a gap arose in their scheduling.

This could pose a problem as all of Argentina’s top players play in Europe, and the proposed period in which the Pumas would play against the Tri-Nations contenders — July and August — coincides with their clubs’ rest period.

The invitation to the Pumas, who surprised everyone by finishing third at last year’s World Cup in France, comes in the wake of demands that they be included in one of rugby’s major competitions.

The paper said SANZAR need a formal response from Argentina by March 5.

The All Blacks have a gap of almost a month between playing South Africa in Cape Town on August 16 and their final Tri-Nations assignment against Australia in Brisbane on September 13.

The disarray within Argentina’s administration further clouds the issue.

On the eve of their general elections on Thursday, the rugby union is split into two factions.

Such are Argentina’s administrative woes that the IRB is refusing to release millions of dollars in funding until they put their house in order.

Further compounding the problem is the question of how much sway the Argentine Rugby Union has over its stars.

Retired captain Agustin Pichot and his team have yet to be paid for their World Cup heroics.

© AAP 2012

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