World Rugby: Argentina Find Temporary Home in the Churchill Cup

After the unanimous decision by the rugby world that Argentina should be welcomed into a major international competition, they will feature this summer in the Churchill Cup.

Despite wide recognition that they must be accommodated somewhere, the SANZAR nations were reluctant to share Tri-Nations revenue with the Pumas, whilst a number of logistical issues have impeded the formation of a Seven Nations competition in Europe.

The team that finished 3rd in the 2007 Rugby World Cup, ranked 3rd in the world, will compete against Canada, USA, England Saxons, Ireland A and Scotland A in June.

A fairly large part of me feels that this isn’t quite satisfactory, but at least it is something. There is an argument to say that the World Cup squad was an unusually talented bunch and that their lofty status in the IRB rankings cannot be sustained. There is an equally persuasive argument that says they will only become a consistent challenger if they play competitive rugby consistently.

Regular participation in the Churchill Cup may prove to the world that they can perform regularly and should be accommodated in one of the top tier competitions, but only time will tell.

What does everyone think? Does this go far enough to show Argentina that they are welcome on the international rugby scene?

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