Compenato Argentino : Expanding to include Chile, Uruguay, Brazil and Paraguay

[WorkingClassRugger]

The UAR have recently announced an expansion of their traditional provincial championship structures to include what will likely be the national sides of Chile, Uruguay, Brazil and Paraguay under either their traditional or assumed provincial/city names .i.e. Santiago, Montevideo etc.

Both Uruguay and Chile will automatically find themselves in the top div of Argentine Rugby while both Brazil and Paraguay will start off in 3rd div. Given Brazil have improved immensely recently I can see them quickly winning promotion and could conceivably eventually join the Chilean and Uruguayans in the top div. Paraguay on the other hand will likely find their competitive level in the 2nd div over time.

It's a very promising move on behalf of the UAR in assuming a leadership role for the game in S.America. There's speculation that this move may be preempting a shift towards professional Rugby in Argentina by looking to establish what would hopefully a ready made conference for Super Rugby. Regardless of whether or not this proves to be the case, the initiative from the UAR (note: this is actually very similar to a Super 8 structure the IRB proposed and offered to finances several years ago, but the then UAR board declined) will be entirely funded internally with minimal costs imposed on the national Unions of Chile, Uruguay, Brazil and Paraguay.

 

[Army_Gav]

This certainly looks like a move to establish their own competition. Which is probably better for the continent, in time for 2016 too. Still good to have them in Super Rugby, perhaps a promotion/relegation setup?

Brazil finished 3rd in the Cup of Nations this year, behind Kenya & HK, which are all experienced Sevens countries: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_Cup_of_Nations_(rugby_union)

I watched the Brazil vs UAE game on Eurosport, well... more like watched Brazil dismantle the UAE. The commentator made mention that the game is the fastest growing sport in Brazil. In addition they just opened a high performance academy outside of Sao Paolo.

 

[WorkingClassRugger]

This certainly looks like a move to establish their own competition. Which is probably better for the continent, in time for 2016 too. Still good to have them in Super Rugby, perhaps a promotion/relegation setup?

Brazil finished 3rd in the Cup of Nations this year, behind Kenya & HK, which are all experienced Sevens countries: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_Cup_of_Nations_(rugby_union)



I watched the Brazil vs UAE game on Eurosport, well... more like watched Brazil dismantle the UAE. The commentator made mention that the game is the fastest growing sport in Brazil. In addition they just opened a high performance academy outside of Sao Paolo.

They were also reasonably competitive against Hong Kong. As I previously mentioned this is pretty much along the lines of the Super 8 proposal from the IRB which had intentions to progressively move it toward professional Rugby. Would be good for both Argentina and South American Rugby to develop their own regional competition.

 

[SuperGrover]

WorkingClassRugger, do you have a link to this very exciting development?

 

[darkhorse]

WorkingClassRugger, do you have a link to this very exciting development?

Yeah please share your source I'm very impressed with your level of knowledge of rugby in the Americas. I love ready these threads. I know a lot of people think that Rugby having a big presence in the Americas is a pipe-dream, but I like to dream about it.

 

[FANATIC]

www.uar.com.ar/

is useful if you can translate.

Rugby in Sth America is already hot stuff and the Argies are leading the way, yay!

 

[en_force_er]

Perhaps this is overly ambitious but this could very easily be linked in some capacity with the Canadian rugby championship. Obviously Semi-professionals can't hike cross continent every week but 2 or 3 games a year might be doable.

If only there was a way the USA could get 4 or 5 centralised rugby programs like the Argies and the Canadians.

 

[Manuel]

I lived many years in Chile, and there rugby has a tradition of being an elite sport, played mostly by posh boys in english schools. Some of them go on to play after high school, but most have a very high opportunity cost: they go to law school, become MDs or take over daddy's business. Those who keep playing, don't take it that seriously either.
Lately (the last five years or so) there have been efforts to promote rugby within the less-favoured. Unfortunately, that had to be done independently from the ARUSA (Asociación de Rugby de Santiago, the capital's rugby union, who organize the main championship in the country, including some teams from elsewhere in the country), because of the high cost of incriptions of clubs and due to the little attention that ARUSA was paying to the lower divisions.
IMO, rugby in Chile has no future unless the "rugby society" become extremely more inclusive.