Pichot wants more Argentine players in Super Rugby before 2016. Source: News Corp Australia
PUMAS legend Agustin Pichot has called on Australia and other SANZAR nations to make room for Argentinian players in their Super Rugby squads ahead of their 2016 inclusion.
The call came as the Argentinian Pampas XV delivered a compelling audition with an emphatic victory over star-laden NSW A side in Sydney on Friday.
The Pampas XV, which is made up of Argentina-based players but not European professionals, remain undefeated in the Pacific Rugby Cup after beating ACT A last week.
Against a NSW A side boosted by Wallaby Rob Horne, and 10 other Super Rugby regulars like Jono Lance, Cam Crawford and Pat McCutcheon, the South Americans ran away 31-16 at Daceyville.
It was a telling victory on a number of fronts; with Argentina proving their depth is already at Super Rugby standard, and highlighting the as-yet untapped potential of Argentinian recruits for Australian teams.
The majority of Argentina's top Test players will leave their French clubs to in their new Super Rugby franchise in 2016.
But with room for only 35-40 players, a surplus of talented players will be pumping out of the UAR's new academy system, which has been bankrolled by substantial IRB funding.
Asked if he saw potential for those players to sign in Australian teams, Pichot said: "I would love to".
"We will have 30-35-40 players, but the rest? Can they be part of the existing franchises? That's where we will have to aim," Pichot said.
"Today we don't have many players in Super Rugby. Why is that? Is it because they are not good enough? Maybe so.
"But if a young kid plays well for Argentina against Australia or New Zealand or South Africa, why wouldn't he play well for you? I think that is a weak argument.
"It is probably because they don't know the players, and of course there are restrictions for foreigners. But that's what we'll have to talk about next."
Pichot's call came after Pumas skipper Juan Martin Fernandez Lobbe said last year he would advise youngsters to sign in the south over the northern hemisphere.
"They are the world champions, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, and if you want to be the best you need to play against the best, train with the best and learn from the best," Lobbe said.
There are currently only two Argentinian players in Super Rugby: prop Matias Diaz at the Hurricanes, and young second rower Manuel Carizza at the Stormers.
Australian coaches have been reticent to cough up Europe-sized cash on Pumas as foreign marquee players, and prefer the pedigree of South Africans or Kiwis as foreign developing players.
But several coaches said they would definitely be interested if the ARU instituted a development provision allowing each club to sign an Argentinian player or two, similar to the current system allowing each club to sign a player from Japan outside the 35-man salary cap.
Anda sedang membaca artikel tentang
Pumas great after Super help
Dengan url
http://ikhlasngeblog.blogspot.com/2014/03/pumas-great-after-super-help.html
Anda boleh menyebar luaskannya atau mengcopy paste-nya
Pumas great after Super help
namun jangan lupa untuk meletakkan link
sebagai sumbernya
0 komentar:
Posting Komentar