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RUGBY WORLD CUP: Record-breaking Pumas lament uncertain future

Argentina scrumhalf and captain Agustin Pichot celebrates at the end of the rugby union World Cup third place playoff match against France at the Parc des Princes in Paris on Friday. PHOTO: AFP

The future remains uncertain for Argentina's Pumas despite producing the greatest effort in their history to finish third in the World Cup in France.

Players and officials have warned that Argentinian rugby will go backwards unless the national team is admitted to a regular international competition such as the Six Nations in Europe or the Tri-Nations in the southern hemisphere.

Travel costs have often been cited as reasons for Argentina's relatively small number of Test matches and its absence from an international competition.

But Pumas captain and scrumhalf Agustin Pichot, set to join his second Paris team in Metro Racing after winning the French club championship with Stade Francais, said the balance sheet could not be the only test.

"Rugby at the moment has to make a very tough decision, one in a more romantic, non-profitable way," he said.

Argentina made a dramatic start to the World cup defeating hosts France 17-12 in the opening match and later knocked out Ireland, their nemesis at the 2003 world cup, with a 30-15 win.

Although Argentina lost the semi-final to South Africa, they have climbed the world rankings.

Last week Syd Millar, the outgoing chairman of the International Rugby Board (IRB), said Argentina had been "neglected" and that a place should be found for them in an expanded Tri-Nations as there was no room left in European rugby's showpiece event.

But Millar, like many a supporter of Argentina's cause, stressed it was "not in the gift of the IRB," to get them into either competition.

For Pichot, whose last appearance in a 12-year Puma career came in the thrilling 34-10 win over France in the World Cup third place play-off, the warm words were all too familiar.

"The press conference in 2003, if you listen to it, which I have in the last month, was exactly the same," he said.
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