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'We should help Argentina out': Rugby Australia boss wants more Pumas in Super Rugby AU

Los Pumas halfback Tomas Cubelli is heading to the Western Force in 2021. (Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)

Rugby Australia [RA] chairman Hamish McLennan has called for the inclusion of more Argentine players in Super Rugby AU in the wake of Los Pumas’ shock 25-15 victory over the All Blacks in Sydney.

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Registering their first-ever win over the New Zealanders at Bankwest Stadium last Saturday, attention has now been turned to the future of the Argentines at club level in the southern hemisphere.

Since 2016, the South American heavyweights were represented by the Jaguares in Super Rugby, with the franchise showing steady improvement year-on-year to reach last year’s final before going down 19-3 to the Crusaders.

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Healthspan Elite Performance of the Week | The Pumas star who out-tackled the All Blacks | Aotearoa Rugby Pod

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Healthspan Elite Performance of the Week | The Pumas star who out-tackled the All Blacks | Aotearoa Rugby Pod

The advent of COVID-19 has thrown their involvement in any future competition into disarray, though.

New Zealand, Australia and South Africa have all formed their own makeshift domestic competitions this year, with the former two nations committing to Super Rugby Aotearoa and Super Rugby AU, respectively, in 2021.

There will also be a Super Rugby Trans-Tasman competition next year, which will see teams from opposing countries square off over six weeks.

Plans for an Oceania-based Super Rugby competition featuring all 10 sides from Australia and New Zealand as well as two Pacific Island franchises, thought to be the Fijian Drua and Moana Pasifika, are well underway, with kick-off due in 2022.

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South Africa, meanwhile, has improvised this year through Super Rugby Unlocked, which features all four of its Super Rugby franchises and three additional teams – the Cheetahs from the PRO14, and the Currie Cup’s Griquas and Pumas.

However, plans to move the Bulls, Lions, Sharks and Stormers to Europe’s PRO14, which already features two ex-Super Rugby franchises from South Africa in the Cheetahs and Southern Kings, leaves the Jaguares without a competition.

As a result, players at the Buenos Aires club – many of whom make up the majority of the Los Pumas squad – have been urged by the Union Argentina de Rugby [UAR] to pursue contracts elsewhere.

The Western Force, which will return to Super Rugby permanently in 2021 after being featuring in Super Rugby AU this year, have already pounced on that opportunity.

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The Perth-based side last month acquired the services of star hooker Julian Montoya and veteran halfback Tomas Cubelli for their 2021 campaign.

Now, just days after Argentina’s upset win over the All Blacks on Australian soil, a match both Montoya and Cubelli featured in, RA boss McLennan has endorsed the Force’s recruitment ploy and has urged the other Australian franchises to follow suit.

“I applaud the Western Force for making those moves. We should help [Argentina] out and help create the world’s best Super Rugby competition,” McLennan told the Sydney Morning Herald.

McLennan said he had spoken to former Los Pumas captain Agustin Pichot, who RA supported in his failed bid for the World Rugby chairmanship earlier this year, following Argentina’s Tri Nations victory.

“He’s a good man and he has gone to great lengths to support his players. We should support him.”

McLennan extended that “same courtesy” to SA Rugby chief executive Jourie Roux if there are South African players who do not wish to follow their nation’s Super Rugby franchises to Europe.

“We will take some players from South Africa, if we can,” McLennan said.

Los Pumas are set to continue their Tri Nations campaign this weekend when they take on the Wallabies at McDonald Jones Stadium in Newcastle on Saturday.

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R
RedWarrior 1 hour ago
Three-way race to be number one in World Rugby men's rankings

IF SA and NZ win then its 1,2,3 SA/NZ/IRL Otherwise as you were. This is largely irrelevant beyond bragging rights.


As I have pointed out elsewhere the practical use of the Rankings is to determine the seedings bands for the RWC draw. The draw takes place early 2026 and hopefully the rankings will be taken from then.


Important to be in the top 6, the top 12. (and likely the top 4).

This is because there are now 6 groups in the RWC 2027.

If you are in top 6 you are in Seeding Band 1. That means none of the other top 6 will be in your group.

Seeding Band 2 are teams from 7-12, who will have a top 6 team but no other 7-12 team.

After England's defeat by NZ there is clear water between NZ in 3rd, France in 4th and England in 5th. England are desperate for top4, ill come back and explain why later.

Lets look at Seeding Band 1 and 6th place. If you make 6th, no top 6 team is in your group, you are top dog. If you win your group, you won't be facing a top 6 team in your 1/8th final, you will be facing a weaker team. If you fail to make 6th place you WILL have a top 6 team in your group and if you don't win your group you WILL (probably) meet a top 6 in the 1/8 final. That's massive.


Its Argentina holding 6th now. Assuming England hold 5th, then its a 4 horse race for 6th. Argentina, Scotland, Italy and ...Australia. (ranked 6,7,8,9)

Australia play the Lions in NH summer 2025 they are running out of time to get up to 6th for their own RWC. They MUST make a move now. They must beat Wales and they really must beat Scotland to gain points and take points off them. Could they surprise England or Ireland? England may be the better bet but Schmidt knows Ireland so well having masterminded their downfall in France.

Another one to watch is Italy V Argentina. Italy are ambitious and they will want to start pushing the likes of Argentina. If they win this they are still in the hunt. Well worth a watch either way.


Top4: I think the top 6 will be seeded, all the way through from the draw. If thats the case then the top 4 will be seeded to avoid each other until the semi. Good for more certainty around ticket sales etc. That's a possible reason why England want in there. You're not in there you are hitting a top 4 team in a QF. That's an extra 50:50 match you can do without and avoid by being top 4.


Lets look at what Seeding bands might look like with todays rankings:


Seeding Band 1

IRE/SA/NZ/FRA/ENG/ARG

Seeding Band 2

SCO/ITA/AUS/FIJ/WAL/GEO


Sample Aussie strongest pool opponent and 1/8th final opponent if in top 6

Strongest pool opponent: FIJI

1/8 final opponent GEORGIA

Prognosis: advance to 1/4 and potentially beyond


Sample Aussie strongest pool opponent and 1/8th final opponent if NOT in top 6

Strongest pool opponent: SOUTH AFRICA

1/8 final opponent NEW ZEALAND

Prognosis: You know the prognosis


I am pretty sure this is not lost on Joe Schmidt?


Keep in mind when enjoying the matches.

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LONG READ
LONG READ England need to face a few home truths if they are to relearn that winning habit England need to face a few home truths if they are to relearn that winning habit
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