Path to Professionalism in Argentina - The UAR is to contract Players

[Melhor Time]

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http://rugbyworldcup-argentina2023.blogspot.com/2011/07/path-to-professionalism-in-argentina.html

In an interview with Argentine website, www.ambito.com, The chairman of the subcommittee on high-performance UAR, Manuel Galindo, talked about various of what are the key issues facing the UAR in terms of the present and future of rugby in Argentina. Manuel Galindo is the father of Argentine international backrower and Racing Metro star, Alvaro Galindo.

In order for Argentine rugby to kick on and indeed be successful in the future, Galindo says that the UAR intends to sign players to play for Argentina, as permitted by Article 3 of the IRB charter. He suggests that after France 2007, , the French realized that the Argentine players were starters in French Top 14 Orange teams and their players were substitutes and so there has since been a move to limit the entry of foreigners. The same thing has happened in the U.K. For this reason, Argentina needs to give players international experience and to have them contracted to the UAR.

Galindo contends that the Vodacom Cup is a positive start but Argentina needs to move on. In his view the Vodacom Cup was useful to demonstrate that with serious work, Argentina rugby can achieve significant results. The tournament, however, is complicated in large part due to the cost which is very high and was not self-financing. Argentina needs to have a tournament that is is self-financing. For Galindo, the UAR must make money from means beyond Los Pumas´ matches. He points out that the UAR wants to generate revenue by seizing on the Puma Phenomenon. Of the UAR´s total budget 35% goes to rugby base and in the country there are 250 elite players with around 100,000 players in total. Argentina has a budget of around 10 million pesos while England, in comparison, has one of 170 million pounds.

 

[Aedaphon]

Not to be too negative but I was fairly certain that the French and UK leagues have always been known to be the most open to international players?

However I do agree that the Pumas need a lot of financial backing if they want to make significant progress. But I would've thought that was why they were entered into the Tri (imminently 4) Nations?

 

[Jayatron]

Centralizing the contracts of Argentina players is a good start. But they have to establish a professional league in which to breed the next crop of Argentine players. Perhaps another expansion of Super Rugby? Or get involved in the Canadian Rugby Championship?
Or maybe Argentina can produce a domestic league which has the player base and finances for a high quality league were the best French players can come and sit on the bench?

 

[Melhor Time]

Centralizing the contracts of Argentina players is a good start. But they have to establish a professional league in which to breed the next crop of Argentine players. Perhaps another expansion of Super Rugby? Or get involved in the Canadian Rugby Championship?
Or maybe Argentina can produce a domestic league which has the player base and finances for a high quality league were the best French players can come and sit on the bench?

No pro league yet. It is the intention with both Super Rugby teams and a domestic pro league on the agenda over the coming years. The UAR are wanting to firstly get peoplem used to paying to go to matches in the 4N because in Argentina there has never been pro rugby and as such gate takcings have only existed for international matches. With the 4N, Argentina will doubele its home tests every year and has no interest in restricting matches to Buenos Aires. Rather, the entire country will host games - three in the 3N and 3 june internationals per year. This will change the shape of things there.

The Canadian Rugby Championship is good but good for Canada. The USA could get involved but certainly Argentina shoudn´t and need to to. There is an Argentine Provincial Championship held every year in February-March involving all Argentine provinces in divisions.

Aedaphon

Not to be too negative but I was fairly certain that the French and UK leagues have always been known to be the most open to international players?

However I do agree that the Pumas need a lot of financial backing if they want to make significant progress. But I would've thought that was why they were entered into the Tri (imminently 4) Nations?​

The laws prevent English sides from fielding imports depending on the country he is from.

They´ll have money that was previously unimaginable.... The 4N will seriously revolutionize rugby in Argentina.

 

[Rhyer]

Just to be clear, isn't a peso worth something like 0.05 GBP? So 5 pence. So really their budget is 500,000 GBP...

 

[LittleGuy]

There was an intention for the top club sides the winner of the CRC and the winner of the Agrentine provinces with a US team and possibly Uruguayan, Chilean etc. to face off in the ARC( Americas's Rugby Championship) but this has kind of stalled and instead we have seen merely select teams facing off against one another. Some Argetine clubs have come an toured Canada for pre-season contests Salta Province came up this year and had a couple of great games with the Rock and Blues.

I have to agree with Melhor though I think Argentina should probably stay out of the CRC realm unless it is as friendlies or some sort of match between the respective winners of each competition. I would love to see an adequate domestic league formed, it could be an outlet not only for Argentine players but also other players from the America's to enjoy and participate in high level rugby.

Good to see that the UAR is willing to host games outside of Buenos Aires, Cordoba and Salta amongst other regions are important to the rugby scene. Do you think the Argentine public will be warm to the idea of paying to see the games Melhor? I assume right now there is a token fee to get into the game, but that this would need to be raised quite a bit for a fully professional contest. Of course professional salaries encourage youngsters eager to try their hand at the game with the incentive and security that they can play rugby as a job.

 

[Jayatron]

Done a little research on Argentina, of course via wiki. It must be a exciting time for rugby in the country. Which lines are the ARU wanting to take professional rugby? I notice that there are twenty four provincial unions. Are they perhaps planning on copying the New Zealand model, who have twenty six provincial unions, and creating a type of NPC, with perhaps the top 14 provinces being fully pro? Or will the ARU want to use the more established clubs such as the Hindu Club or Club La Tablada? Would Super rugby even be open to another expansion if the ARU wish to go down this road as well?

Personally I would love to see another competitive league open up. To make rugby a truly global sport we need fully pro leagues to be established all over the world. As Little Guy says the establishment of a Argentinean league would help Argentina but also be an outlet for countries right across the Americas, on both sides of the equator. But would Argentina have the finances, player base or support to create a league of this nature? Wiki suggests it does, but is this the truth?

Must say also the prospect of a Americas Rugby Championship, or a Heineken Cup of the Americas, is a mouth watering idea. A few pools then finals to determine the best club in Americas would be something I would tune into every week. I love watching the Currie and ITM cups but a ARC tournament would be something else. I think though, as we discussed in another thread, that it wouldn't be possible until Canada/North America step up into their next phase of development and structure a professional league. Which of course wouldn't be easy.

 

[ZeFrenchy]

Professional rugby in Argentina is the best thing that could happen to world rugby [/exageration]
The main problem seems to be that many people (or, if not many, quite powerful), don't want the sport to become professional. The Buenos Aires Rugby Union not allowing the local Pumas players (who were receiving a small salary) to play in their championship was just the peak of stupidity.

 

[calculon]

Professional rugby in Argentina is the best thing that could happen to world rugby [/exageration]
The main problem seems to be that many people (or, if not many, quite powerful), don't want the sport to become professional. The Buenos Aires Rugby Union not allowing the local Pumas players (who were receiving a small salary) to play in their championship was just the peak of stupidity.

I think it's really difficult. Ireland, Wales and Scotland (prior to Italy's arrival) couldn't really get a club system going on their own.
& they each have more players of the game than Argentina. Plus they have more money, at least Wales and Scotland do.
Financially Ireland may be quite similar to Argentina now, or worse. It's a huge burden on Argentina. I think a South American 2-tier tri nations makes more sense:

Tier 1
Argentina
Uruguay
Chile

Tier 2
Brazil
Colombia
Venezuela

Loser and winner of each swap each year.
It would be nice to see union spread and this would not force Argentina in the difficult situation it's in.