Should Argentina be allowed play in the Six Nations

jdivision

Personally I think they should. The idea that they should play a tournament with the USA and Canada is fine in theory but I think it'd be better for the game if they played in Europe where their first team squad is largelly based anyway.

vorbis

Geographically, it would suit for them to play in the trinations. Ideally, Argentina should have gotten a Super 14 team in the last expansion. That would allow them to keep professional players in Argentina. I mean the Trinations is getting a bit silly, they played each other three times this season!!

zAbbo

playing each other 3 times, and at least half those games were awful.

At least get a PI team in there.

I'd love to see the Puma's in the 6nations,but a s14 franchise would have really been a great idea.

pred racer

I think that either competition would benefit from ther pumas entry, It would really throw a spanner in the 6 nations tho, (in a good way)

Trojan

Yes, but then again I think Clive should be Ireland manager so who am I to talk...

Danger_Dave

Theres arguments for both. Trinations entry or 6nations entry, however id like to see a 7nations and that argentina have there own club team either in the french Top 14 or the Celtic league, considering alot of there players play for french/italian teams.

Also in a few years time we could see SA teams in the ML or in the HC or in sme new comp, because it looks like there backing out of Super 14 rugby due to no sucess and very poor ratings and intrest from there fans.

I could see Arg in with tri-nations but that cookie could go to the Pacific Island team in a few more years. Also the aussies are rumbling for change in the super 14 as well with a possible japanense (sp?) coming in. So SH rugby could be changed drastically over the next 10 years.

Zwartsj

Well the way I see it SA will be out of the super 14 by 2010 if our teams play like they do at the moment. And there is roomers’ of this going around at the moment of this (only roomers)

the only reason why the SA fans don’t really support the super 14 is because we have the curry cup which is a lot more fun to watch as we are guaranteed that an SA side will win.

But personally I would love to see a change made in the super 14 or tri nations or both to allow Argentina or islanders a chance to play in it

I cant really see why Argentina should play in the 6 nations purely because they are a southern

Sundy

Theres no way Argentina should be allowed into the six nations, there are a number of reasons for this:

1) European rugby has chosen to back the development of rugby in Italy and i believe it should remain that. Why promote Argentina what benefit would it have for the game in Europe? At least Italy have teams in the H-Cup and if rugby continues to develope then maybe one day Italian clubs side might be able to put up a decent challange.

2) The number of games in the 6 nations is already enough. Adding another test match would increase injuries and fatigue, not exactly benefiting any of the nations currently involved in the 6nations.
On this as well there is a a Heineken cup to be decided, adding another fixture will push things back another 2-3 weeks and see the season running into late may/june.
Extra fixtures would also withdraw the internationals for even more time, an already contenious issue in the magners league.

3) Where would argentina play there homes games? It could not be in argentina, that would just be too much travel. So if they play home games in spain or some where like that how much would it really benefit the popularity of rugby in Argentina? Surely to play in a competition that allows games to be played at home would be more beneficial

4) A great danger of allowing them to lay it the 6nations would be that it would lure even more argentinian players out of their own country thus weakening their domestice clubs even more. It could become like the irish soccer situation with only the scrapes left at home. How would a situation like that be of much benefit to Argentinian rugby?

What i have posted above are my own personal opinions, but i have though about it alot and i dont think it would be a good idea. Let enough teams in the 6nations and you might aswell play a world cup every year. its about time SANZAR woke up and expanded SH rugby.

daveirl

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toomevara

Interestingly, Syd Millar has just called for them to be admitted to the tri-nations, that indicates where the IRB's thinking currently lies, but dont know if SANZAR will go for it. There are a lot of issues to be addressed though re: Argentinian rugby.

Its still largely an amateur game there and surely they'll also need to field a team in the super 14 which raises interesting questions for the elite argentinian players, the vast majority of whom ply their trade in europe.....If SANZAR dont go for it the 6N has to bite the bullet and let them in..to let Argentinian rugby wither on the vine would verge on the criminal...given the status of soccer in Argentina the vitality of Rugby in the country is nothing short of a miracle. Surely either competition, tri nations or 6N would only be enhanced by the presence of the Pumas.

bucks73

daveirl wrote:

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Just on the travelling...Argentina is actually much closer to NZ than SA is. A flight from Auckland to Buenos Aires takes about 12 hours. From Auckland to Joburg or Capetown would take close to 17 hours and from Sydney to Joburg/Capetown would take 14 hours. From Sydney to Buenos Aires takes about 15 hours. From Buenos Aires to Capetown takes less than 8 hours.

So the travelling around the world isnt that big of a deal. They do enough if it anyway now just travelling between Sa and Oz/NZ.

Personally I would prefer if Argentina joined the 3N just because the 6N and HC are European competitions and would like them to remain so. Couldnt see how an Argentina fixture in Spain would take off. Already the Italian game every 2 years in Rome is the least supported of the 6N games and thats probably the same in the case of the other teams. Who would go to a 6N game against Argentina in Madrid or Barcelona where there are no home supporters and no atmosphere and therefore no craic?

TarfHead

My instinctive answer is no.
They should be in the 3N (4N ?). 3 home & 3 away makes that tournament more symmetric.

But, if as was suggested, they were to play their 7N home games in Spain, that would add something to the tournament.

daveirl

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il gatto

It's hard enough to win the bleedin' Six Nations as it is.
I don't think it'd be right. I'm still not sure Italy was right. Nobody likes change. No change is good change:D

jank

They should be let into the tri-nations. No point in leaving them into the 6N's as reasons mentioned above.

Imagine the All Blacks traveling to Buenos Aires for those matches. It would do wonders for the game over there!!! I could imagine them having a really good home record if it does procede.

The IRB has to up the ante and try and promote rugby in other nations. Nobody likes to see the same teams winning all the time.

daveirl

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spanner

toomevara wrote:

given the status of soccer in Argentina the vitality of Rugby in the country is nothing short of a miracle. Surely either competition,

I completely agree with you hear. The International rugby has failed Argentina and especially the southern nation teams and even at that it still is growing without there help, so much so they have beaten the creators of the game and drawn with a team comprised of some of the top northern hemispere teams. Look at the way soccer is constantly promoting their game, doing things like holding the world cup in japan and america. Not only do I think we should let Argentina into the major competion but we should hold the next world cup there as well. We are always giving out about how bad are some of the games during the world cup this is a chance to keep Argentina at the highly competive state it is in. Its a nice problem have two good competive games in our group