Argentine players should be integrated into the new Super 15 competition to smooth their country's passage into the ultra-competitive Tri Nations in 2012, according to former Australia coach Eddie Jones. SANZAR yesterday issued a conditional invitation for the South Americans to join Australia, New Zealand and South Africa in an expanded southern hemisphere Test series after the next Rugby World Cup.
The move would increase the southern hemisphere competition from nine games to 12 games, with each country playing the other three times, both home and away. Jones, who coached both the Australia and was a technical adviser to South Africa, welcomes the move but feels the Pumas' players must get exposure in the Super 15 club competition to assimilate themselves with the standard of international rugby in the southern hemisphere.
A decision on who will become the franchise who turn Super 14 into Super 15 is expected after the submissions to SANZAR close on September 25. Melbourne are the favourites to take that spot in 2011. "I think SANZAR will have to allow the Argentine players to play in the Super 15 competition," said Jones, who coached the CA Brumbies to the Super 12 final in 2000. "Australia only have two foreign players, New Zealand only allow islanders while South Africa don't allow any.
"They'll need to change that so the Argentine players are exposed to high-class rugby on a regular basis. "Australia have one fair side and three moderate sides and they will need players for a fifth side. I think the decision to give the franchise to Melbourne is a fair way down the track. It will help an even split, with five teams for each country." Jones believes the three super powers of south hemisphere rugby will welcome Argentina's inclusion into the Tri Nations but claims the Pumas have their work cut out to avoid becoming the whipping boys Italy were on their introduction to the Six Nations in 2000.
"Argentina are a very hard, aggressive side and they are good at playing one-off Test matches," said Jones, now coaching in Japan. "They reached the semi-final of the World Cup in 2007 and they have a magical player in [Juan Martin] Hernandez but [Agustin] Pichot has retired and [Felipe] Contepomi is in his 30s. The bulk of their pack is also coming to the end of their cycle. "The Tri Nations competition is held over eight or nine weeks and you have got to throw in the travelling. People say its harder to win the Tri Nations than the World Cup and I'd have to agree with that.
"You have got win all your home games and then beat Australia, New Zealand or South Africa away from home. It will take them three or four years to compete for the title, without question." @Email:kaffleck@thenational.ae More reaction, s7