Los Pumas are worthy opponents for the world’s best
Roar Guru By JayJ95, 15 Sep 2012 The Crowd is a Roar Guru
- Tagged:
- Argentina, Los Pumas, Rugby Union, The Rugby Championship, Tri Nations, wallabies
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This has been a historic year for SANZAR. The Tri Nations era, which stretches back to the birth of professionalism in rugby union, is over and the Rugby Championship has been born.
The entry of Argentina has finally created a true Southern Hemisphere tournament, an equivalent to the Six Nations in the Northern Hemisphere.
Argentina don’t yet have the greatest record against rugby union’s three traditional powerhouses, but they have beaten Australia four times, most recently in 1997. They have even beaten the Wallabies in Queensland, by 18-3 at Ballymore Stadium in 1983.
Australia last played the Pumas in the opening game of the 2003 Rugby World Cup, resulting in a 24-8 victory for the Wallabies.
Australia is the only team from the original Tri-Nations tournament to have been beaten by Argentina, but the Pumas have pushed New Zealand and South Africa on occasion.
Argentina placed a very credible third in the 2007 Rugby World Cup, and they reached the quarter finals in 2011 before losing to the eventual champions, New Zealand, 33-10.
In Argentina’s Rugby Championship debut, the Pumas have held South Africa to a draw and pushed New Zealand on home turf. Those two fixtures, along with their credible World Cup performances, show that they deserve to play the best in the world on an annual basis.
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The Crowd Says (4) | Page 1 of Comments
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- Explore:
- Argentina, Los Pumas, Rugby Union, The Rugby Championship, Tri Nations, wallabies
September 15th 2012 @ 7:30am
Rugby Tragic said | September 15th 2012 @ 7:30am | Report comment
While I agree that Argentina is worthy opponents and I really welcome their participation, at least for the next few years, not sure if over the longer term they should be an extention of the Tri Nations as such. The long distances of travel and number of internationals nowadays is bound to take its toll on the welfare of the players. It is not like the 6 Nations when travel (in time and distance is not an issue), effectively they or their Rugby Championship opponents have to fly around the world to play a rugby match – then around the world again to get home.
In the longer term if Canada, USA etc can be bought up to scratch then an “America’s Championship” might be the go for Argentina. I feel that might bring the game along in the America’s as well whose present game of choice is soccer. The more competition there, the more exposure. Argentina is the dominant player in that region and maybe such a competition, over time be a great endorsement of the ‘game they play in heaven’.
A more natural extention if the Tri Nations, would in my opinion, was to invite Pacific Islands teams to participate. I know that this has been discussed before but if the IRB are serious about expanding rugby worldwide they should look at the back door steps of those nations that already make a contribution but need assistance to flourish. The Pacific Islanders contribute so much already to rugby stocks world wide, surely it is time to acknowledge that and the rugby community with the ‘powers to be’ give unfettered support. If that does not happen, they will continue to be feeder nations for those more priviledged.
September 15th 2012 @ 9:41am
mace 22 said | September 15th 2012 @ 9:41am | Report comment
Which pacific island nation team are you talking about. The team of pacific islanders from the islands ( which are weak ) or the ones that are crammed full of new zealanders with pacific island heritage. People have been going on about having a pacific island team in either super rugby or now the rugby championship, but again which team. Of all the rugby players in the world the new zealand pacific islanders are in a enviable position of having the choice of playing for two countries. I know other countries have players that have the same choice but not on the numbers of new zealand. If they aren’t good enough to play for new zealand they can choose to play for their ancestral island. Also they say that polynesians have rugby in their genes this maybe true, but with out the new zealand age group system that brings them through they wouldn’t be as good.
September 15th 2012 @ 3:42pm
JayJ95 said | September 15th 2012 @ 3:42pm | Report comment
Understood about the burden of travel… but Argentina is currently 7th on the IRB world rankings, and the six teams ahead of them are either Six Nations or Rugby Championship nations… I’m saying the Argentinians are more than worthy to be playing the worlds best… nothing to do with travel
September 23rd 2012 @ 2:57pm
sbaf98 said | September 23rd 2012 @ 2:57pm | Report comment
Argentina will catch up very soon, no more than a couple of years. Then the Rugby Championship will be really competitive and far more interesting. Argentina has beaten the Wallabies before and also the Springboks as the South America XV. Here’s the video of the highlights:
There will be no regrets about the travels.