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PARIS - World rugby union's senior administrator has called for Argentina to join an expanded Tri-Nations tournament, saying the Pumas couldn't be "neglected" any longer.
The Pumas have been the darlings of the World Cup where last Monday's 19-13 win over Scotland saw them into the semifinals of
rugby's global showpiece for the first time where they will face South Africa in Paris this Monday.
Argentina's rise, which has also seen them climb to fourth in the world rankings, has been all the more impressive as they do not currently participate in a major annual competition such as the northern hemisphere's Six Nations or the Tri-Nations, where South Africa, New Zealand and Australia (SANZAR) are currently the only teams involved.
However, International Rugby Board (IRB) chairman Dr Syd Millar said that Argentina were close to being admitted to the Tri-Nations.
"I think that SANZAR are now seriously considering it, and after their performances in the Rugby World Cup, you can't neglect them," said Millar.
Former Ireland international Millar stressed it was "not in the gift" of the IRB to force Argentina's inclusion in either the Tri or Six Nations but said an expanded Tri-Nations was definitely the best place for the Pumas to try to maintain their progress.
Some Argentina players have expressed a preference for the team to join the Six Nations given that many of them play for European sides as this would help with the vexed issue of release for internationals and not bring them into conflict with clashing club v country commitments.
But Millar said: "There is no room for them in the Six Nations, there is no space. They are a southern hemisphere country.
"We continually ask the Tri-Nations to look at it but they have contracts in place for television and so on.
"When those contracts are finished they will certainly have to look at it again," Millar added. "I personally think that SANZAR need to freshen up the tournament and they know that themselves.
"It depends on what SANZAR do when their contracts run out and then they would be doing a new tournament, hopefully with Argentina in it. Maybe it will be 2010 but it's up to them."
Another feature of this World Cup has been the performances of Pacific Island Nations such as Fiji, who stunningly beat Wales and then gave South Africa a scare before losing in the quarter-finals.
And Millar said there was room for SANZAR to accommodate "maybe two more nations, maybe one from the islands" in their premier competition.
"These things are in the hands of other organisations, not ours. We can just simply try and put pressure on them."
Turning to the World Cup as a whole, Millar said the increasing competitiveness of pool matches at this edition was a vindication of the IRB's backing for emerging rugby nations.
"We've had suprising results. Some of the developing unions like Tonga, Fiji and Georgia have produced extraordinarily good performances.
"It means the investments we've made in those countries both in money terms and personnel are bearing fruit quicker than we thought."
Argentina's growing rugby prominence was reflected in two of their key players - outside-half Juan Martin Hernandez and centre Felipe Contepomi - being nominated for the IRB Player of the Year award, due to be announced on October 22 (NZ time), the day after the World Cup final.
- AFP