Argentina to join Tri-Nations from 2012 thanks to £1.3m IRB funding
July 14, 2010
• South Africa, Australia and New Zealand agree move
• "It will help build professionalism within Argentinian rugby'
Argentina is likely to join the Tri Nations in 2012 after the International Rugby Board chairman, Bernard Lapasset, confirmed the body would provide a crucial funding package for the project.
Lapasset confirmed that the IRB had agreed to support Argentina's initial introduction into the tournament with a one-off financial contribution of around $2m (£1.3m).
The financial support is expected to be ratified by the IRB Council on 12 May, removing the one remaining significant obstacle to Argentina joining the tournament, which includes South Africa, New Zealand and Australia.
"It is done," said Lapasset at the Global Sports Forum in Barcelona. "The principle is to support the cost of the introduction of Argentina into the Tri Nations. It will be a one-off payment of around $2m. The principle is agreed, and we just need the IRB Council to confirm at the next meeting. It will be done so Argentina can enter in 2012.
"We have an agreement with South Africa, New Zealand and Australia for the financial programme that is now in place, and the three existing nations are supportive."
Argentina's third-place finish at the 2007 Rugby World Cup highlighted the need for the team to engage in regular matches against top-quality opposition.
In September 2009, SANZAR, the board representing the national rugby unions of the existing Tri Nations teams, tabled a conditional invitation to Argentina to join the competition.
Aside from being geographically stranded on the global rugby map, the fact that most of Argentina's best players are based in Europe has also counted against bringing the South American country into the fold.
"The challenge now is to organise the travel arrangements between the countries," admitted Lapasset, who sits on the IRB Council. "However, it is fantastic. It started with the World Cup in 2007 and we realised the importance of creating a symbol in South America. It will help to build professionalism within Argentinian rugby."
Jim Hamilton helps Scotland clinch historic series against Argentina
June 19, 2010
Argentina 9-13 Scotland
Scotland withstood intense second-half pressure to secure their first series victory in the southern hemisphere as Jim Hamilton's early try set them on course for victory in the second Test in Mar del Plata.
Hamilton forced the ball over as Scotland took less than three minutes to do what they failed to achieve during their victory last weekend and breach their hosts' tryline.
Argentina bounced back quickly and Felipe Contepomi kicked two penalties but the home side's poor discipline allowed Scotland to gain control for the rest of the first half, although Parks missed two of three penalty attempts.
The hosts dominated the second half but Scotland restricted them to one penalty goal and Parks extended their precarious lead in the 74th minute with an excellent penalty following a rare foray forward.
The hard-earned triumph in torrential rain secured a third consecutive away victory for Scotland, their best run on the road since 1982, which began in Dublin and continued when Parks kicked all of Scotland's points during a 24-16 win in Tucuman.
The coach, Andy Robinson, hailed his players fighting spirit after their display. "Some days you go and win ugly, some days you go and win through courage. I think today we won with courage," he said. "Everybody was desperate to win the game, the replacements came on the field and gave us some energy, they performed really well.
"It gives everybody belief in what we are trying to do. Winning gives you belief. I think we scrummaged well and also the players on the bench like Alasdair Dickinson and Scott Lawson did well when they came on. We have shown very consistent form against a very good back row."
However, Robinson believes Scotland could have opened up more than a 10-6 gap by half-time. He said: "Considering that we controlled the first half as well as we did, we didn't control the scoreboard. We went into the second half with a four-point lead. We have to learn that when we have the dominance that we had, you have to be sure to be 15 points clear."
Scotland enjoyed a flying start when Hamilton claimed his first international try, bundling his way over from a lineout with Parks adding the conversion.
The home side got off the mark in the 14th minute when Contepomi kicked a routine penalty after John Barclay had been penalised for holding on, before adding another midway through the half. Parks then restored Scotland's four-point advantage with a kick from near the halfway line on 26 minutes but missed two more attempts before the break.
Scotland survived an early onslaught after the restart with Southwell making a crucial interception to prevent a try and Contepomi missing a penalty from near the halfway line. Martín Rodríguez stroked home a penalty on the hour after an offside decision as Scotland struggled to defend a maul right in front of their tryline.
However, Parks settled Scotland's nerves by kicking over from almost 40 metres and could even afford to miss a late drop goal as his side held on to deliver a famous series win. PA
Scotland’s Simon Danielli returns for second Test against Argentina
June 16, 2010
• Ulster winger called into Scotland side for final Test of series
• Sean Lamont moves to right; Max Evans is outside centre
Simon Danielli returns on the left wing as Scotland make one change from the team that defeated Argentina last weekend for the second and final Test of the series in Mar del Plata on Saturday.
The Ulster winger impressed as a late substitute in the Six Nations victory over Ireland in March and earns his 26th cap this weekend.
His introduction means there are two further positional switches, with Sean Lamont moving to the right wing and Max Evans redeployed in his more familiar position of outside-centre.
As a consequence, Nick De Luca is omitted from the starting XV and is now on the bench as Jim Thompson drops out of the 22, while Alasdair Dickinson ousts Geoff Cross from the bench.
Head coach Andy Robinson has warned his players not to read too much into last week's 24-16 success in Tucuman as they seek their first Test series win in the southern hemisphere.
He said: "That's in the past now. It's a new game on Saturday. The scoreboard starts at 0-0 and the Pumas await.
"I've brought in Simon Danielli and moved Max Evans to his normal centre spot, which he plays for Glasgow, having looked at the way we want to attack Argentina in the outside channels.
"Simon runs hard, is pretty direct and I've been impressed by his form for Ulster in the Magners League, where he has been a regular try scorer. Both Max and Nick De Luca did well in the first Test. I felt Max made a number of line-breaks and looked pretty dangerous throughout and it was for him to start because of that.
"Selection was a tough call for a number of players and, as management, we've expressed our admiration for the commitment of the entire squad to securing a win on Saturday."
Scotland team
H Southwell (Stade Francais); S Lamont (Scarlets), M Evans (Glasgow Warriors), G Morrison (Glasgow Warriors), S Danielli (Ulster); D Parks (Glasgow Warriors), R Lawson (Gloucester); A Jacobsen (Edinburgh), R Ford (Edinburgh), M Low (Glasgow Warriors), J Hamilton (Edinburgh), A Kellock (Glasgow Warriors), K Brown (Glasgow Warriors), J Beattie (Glasgow Warriors), J Barclay (Glasgow Warriors).
Replacements: S Lawson (Gloucester), A Dickinson (Gloucester), S MacLeod (Edinburgh), A Strokosch (Gloucester), M Blair (Edinburgh), P Godman (Edinburgh), N De Luca (Edinburgh).
Argentina 16-24 Scotland | International match report
June 12, 2010
• Andy Robinson pleased with second-half turn-around
• Front row singled out for special praise
Scotland's head coach, Andy Robinson, was happy with his side's victory over Argentina but called for an even better performance when the teams meet again next Saturday.
Dan Parks scored all Scotland's points as they came from 13-6 down to claim a 24-16 win in Tucuman, with the rejuvenated fly-half landing six penalties and two drop goals. The Scots have now won their past two games on Argentinian soil, having beaten them 26-14 in Buenos Aires two years ago.
Scotland found it difficult to settle during the first period, when they conceded tries to Gonzalo Tiesi and Juan Manuel Leguizamón following mistakes, but Parks turned the match on its head in the second half. Robinson was pleased with his side's second-half showing but wants more from them next weekend at Mar del Plata's Estadio José María Minella.
"The guys worked very hard today. The front row were tremendous. We had to control the scoreboard in the second half," he said.
"I was pretty frustrated first half but I thought we had a good shape. Everybody worked together in a disciplined fashion. The outside backs worked well, we got the ball to the outside channels, the line-out was pleasing, although in one line-out we lost and they scored off it."
In the second half Scotland survived a succession of five-metre scrums that could have changed the outcome of the game but Parks' consummate kicking display took them to victory.
Scotland must take their chances against Argentina, says Andy Robinson
June 4, 2010
• Team must make the most of opportunities, says coach
• 'We have got to get across the line and score tries'
Andy Robinson has urged Scotland not to waste chances against Argentina again when they face them in their two-Test tour. The Scotland coach was unhappy with his side's profligacy during the 9-6 defeat by the Pumas at Murrayfield last November.
An unconvincing 24-5 win over a Japan select on Tuesday provided a warm-up for the first Test in Tucumán on 12 June and Robinson wants his men to step up and make the most of their opportunities.
"In any game of rugby that is what you have to do, and we didn't do it in that last game against Argentina," he said.
"We can look at three or four of the games when that hasn't happened. That's one of the areas of the game we need to improve on: our ability to finish.
"It's OK doing all the good buildup work but we have got to get across the line and score tries. We always have to have a real collective edge about the way we defend. Coming together for the Japan game enabled us to get that. There is always a way that we have to improve every facet of our game."
Robinson believes speed and support will be key to victory against the Pumas. "You have to run on their inside shoulders, as well as moving them around. We have to be accurate with our passing and offloading, and unlike Tuesday we have to get numbers in support to the ball and get quick ball, and keep that tempo up all the time, as well as taking the chances.
"A lot of what we did in the autumn against Argentina was very good, apart from getting over the line. So we challenge ourselves to play with some width and pace, but make sure we score."
Robinson is hoping his players will have retained some confidence from the 23-20 away win to Ireland in theSix Nations in March. "There has been a belief about the way the team has played through the autumn and the Six Nations," he added. "They are all facets you have in a very physical game, so it's important we are able to stay in controlof the game in the way that we don't give dull penalties away, and our execution – having good hands and being able to keep hold of the ball."
Argentina’s Tri-Nations hopes lifted by IRB player release move
May 12, 2010
• New period matches new tournament dates
• NZRU's Tew hails 'exciting step for Sanzar'
Argentina have moved a step closer to competing in an expanded Four Nations with Australia, New Zealand and Australia after the International Rugby Board changed a regulation on player availability.
One of the conditions set by Sanzar, the body which governs the Tri-Nations, for Argentina to join was that they would be able to secure the availability of their best players. With the decision of the IRB council today, which shifts the release period for international players into line with the dates for the new tournament – from late August until early October – the way has been paved for Argentina to join the competition in 2012.
Steve Tew, the chief executive of Sanzar and of the New Zealand Rugby Union, said: "This is an exciting step for Sanzar and for world rugby, as it confirms Argentina's participation in a top-flight rugby competition, which they thoroughly deserve, and will add a dynamic new element to the current Tri-Nations, which is already regarded as one of the world's toughest tournaments.
"We now need to finalise a participation agreement with the UAR [the Argentinian union] so we can move to full planning for the introduction of Argentina in 2012."
Castillo carries on the good work
January 21, 2010
In an exclusive interview with Planet Rugby, UAR president Luis Francisco Castillo talks about the future of the game in Argentina.
Injury ends Hernandez’s stint at Sharks
January 7, 2010
Juan Martin Hernandez’s stint at the Sharks appears to be over after it was revealed that a back injury has ruled him out of the Super 14.
Las Vegas deck stacked against Pumas
January 6, 2010
Defending champions Argentina face a tough challenge after being drawn in the same Pool as England and Wales for the Las Vegas Sevens event.
Argentina to host Scotland in 2010
December 23, 2009
Scotland will tour Argentina next summer for what will be the second time in three years, it was confirmed on Wednesday.
