Former All Blacks coach Sir Graham Henry has called for two Argentina teams to be included in the next phase of Super Rugby but accepts one is the most likely outcome.
Henry, in his second year as a technical advisor for the Pumas in the Rugby Championship, says involving Argentina in Super Rugby is vital for that country’s development.
Officials from Sanzar are presently negotiating the structure of the Super Rugby after the current model ends in 2015.
An expanded competition appears likely after Sanzar chief executive Greg Peters recently confirmed South Africa will field six teams in the new structure.
Henry says world No.10-ranked Argentina’s biggest limitation is the lack of a regular “base” for its top players.
Most are either contracted to European clubs or are uncontracted in Argentina, which doesn’t have a professional competition.
“They don’t have the luxury of playing Super Rugby, which I think is ideal preparation for Test rugby,” Henry told Radio LiveSport.
“So as soon as they hit the Rugby Championship, they’re playing a level of rugby that they seldom experience.”
Henry says a short-term fix would be for Super Rugby teams in New Zealand, Australia and South Africa to relax their rules that cap foreign players.
He wants dispensation for more Argentinians to be scattered through the teams until 2015.
After that, it is crucial the South Americans are welcomed properly into Super Rugby.
“I think they need two teams but they’ll find that difficult to finance,” he said.
“So maybe they get one in Argentina and the other guys play around the world, hopefully in the Super competition.”
Henry was encouraged that the Pampas XV, a team comprising Argentina’s leading high performance players, is being considered to play in the Pacific Nations Cup which this year featured Fiji, Tonga, Japan, Canada and the United States.
The Pampas XV has played in South Africa’s third-tier Vodafone Cup competition for the last four years.
Meanwhile, Henry, 67, confirmed he is likely to cut his ties with Argentina this year.
The Blues assistant coach says the travel has proved taxing and he wants to spend more time with his family.
Before then, he wants to help the Pumas to a first win in the Rugby Championship, targeting the home match against Australia in Rosario on October 5 as the best opportunity.
They lost 14-13 to the Wallabies in Perth on Saturday and host the All Blacks in La Plata on September 28.
