Argentina's Four Nations dream a step closer
Source: Agencies |
May 14, 2010, Friday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
ARGENTINA passed another milestone in its quest for regular top-flight international rugby on Wednesday when its players were granted freedom from its clubs to take part in an expanded Tri-Nations from 2012.
One of the prerequisites of the invitation to the Pumas to play in the annual southern hemisphere competition with Australia, New Zealand and South Africa was that it did so at full strength.
The International Board (IRB) executive committee at a meeting in London voted almost unanimously for Argentina's players to be freed for the period of the Tri-Nations, the Argentine Rugby Union reported on its Website. Of the 26 members 24 voted in favour.
At present Argentina's players with European clubs are only released for the June and November international test windows and the Pumas are the only team in the world's top 10 who do not compete in an annual international tournament.
"This is the merit of a lot of people, a lot of history written on the pitch and especially in 2007 because it was the catalyst to open this opportunity," former Pumas captain Agustin Pichot, who was at the meeting, was quoted as saying.
Pichot led the Pumas to third place in the World Cup in France, a result that helped speed up effort to get Argentina its much sought-after place on the annual international calendar.
"There was a lot of hard work for this," Argentina Rugby Union ambassador Pichot said.
"Personally I feel today that a struggle of many years has been closed, today we're part of the world, as we deserved," said.
One of the prerequisites of the invitation to the Pumas to play in the annual southern hemisphere competition with Australia, New Zealand and South Africa was that it did so at full strength.
The International Board (IRB) executive committee at a meeting in London voted almost unanimously for Argentina's players to be freed for the period of the Tri-Nations, the Argentine Rugby Union reported on its Website. Of the 26 members 24 voted in favour.
At present Argentina's players with European clubs are only released for the June and November international test windows and the Pumas are the only team in the world's top 10 who do not compete in an annual international tournament.
"This is the merit of a lot of people, a lot of history written on the pitch and especially in 2007 because it was the catalyst to open this opportunity," former Pumas captain Agustin Pichot, who was at the meeting, was quoted as saying.
Pichot led the Pumas to third place in the World Cup in France, a result that helped speed up effort to get Argentina its much sought-after place on the annual international calendar.
"There was a lot of hard work for this," Argentina Rugby Union ambassador Pichot said.
"Personally I feel today that a struggle of many years has been closed, today we're part of the world, as we deserved," said.
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