World Cup surprise package Argentina should be included in an expanded Southern Hemisphere Tri-Nations tournament, International Rugby Board (IRB) chairman Syd Millar said yesterday.
The Pumas have risen to rugby's top table over the past few years and with their 19-13 win over Scotland in Paris on Sunday have made it into the World Cup semi-finals for the first time.
They have not hidden their desire to play in either the Six Nations Championship or the Tri-Nations, but logistical reasons more than anything have prevented any agreement being reached.
Millar believes Argentina, as well as maybe another team from the Pacific Islands, joining the Tri-Nations would "freshen up" the competition.
"I think SANZAR (the umbrella organisation for the participating Tri-Nations teams) are now seriously considering it and after their performances in the Rugby World Cup, you can't neglect them any more," said the IRB chief.
"There is no room for them in the Six Nations - there is no space, unfortunately. They are a Southern Hemisphere country and we continually ask the Tri-Nations to look at it, but they have contracts in place for television and so on.
"When those are finished, they will have to look again. But certainly their performances on the field justify their inclusion in a tournament of that quality.
"I also think it would freshen the SANZAR tournament to have another country in it - maybe two, maybe another one from the islands. And they know that themselves.
"Those things are in the hands of other organisations, not ours. It's up to them. We can just simply try and put pressure on them."
The IRB, meanwhile, are yet to decide whether to stick with the 20-team format for the 2011 World Cup being held in New Zealand, or reduce it back to 16 teams. Millar confirmed a decision would be made next April, saying: "I don't think that at this point in time we have made any decision.
"New Zealand tendered for the World Cup on the basis of there being 20 teams. But we have to sit down and look at it in the cold light of day, and not make a knee-jerk reaction. It's not that long ago that the press were saying it is a nonsense having Portugal in the World Cup. A man who can't change his mind can change nothing. I am quite open about it."
Millar suggested there could be a competition the year before the World Cup where the second-tier countries would compete. Either four or eight countries would progress from that tournament, depending on whether the IRB went with 16 or 20 teams.
Millar also revealed the five nominees for the 2007 IRB Player of the Year award. Two of them are Argentinian, Juan Martin Hernandez and Felipe Contepomi, along with New Zealand captain and last year's winner Richie McCaw, South Africa winger Bryan Habana and France centre Yannick Jauzion.
The winner will be announced at an IRB awards ceremony on October 21st, the day after the World Cup final. The award is based on player performances during the calendar year, starting with the Six Nations and finishing at the World Cup.
:quality(70)/cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/YVIRIOZQ35EWRPZXR27KGMO6YU.png)