KEY POINTS:
The proposed test with Argentina in August has little chance of happening and it is now likely All Blacks will be released to play at least two rounds of provincial football instead.
A desire to build greater rest periods into the extended format has given the All Blacks
a full month without a test in the midst of their Tri Nations campaign this year.
The Springboks and Wallabies have similar gaps in their programme and all three Sanzar nations have invited Argentina to play tests to form an unofficial Four Nations. The invitation not only provides the Wallabies, All Blacks and Springboks with a means of keeping their players match-hardened between official Tri Nations tests, but it also complies with the IRB's desire to see the Pumas afforded more serious fixtures and gently phased into regular competition.
The Five Nations used to operate a similar programme, playing competition games every fortnight and scheduling Italy to play the team on the bye weekend.
Unfortunately, though, the Pumas will probably decline the invitation to play the All Blacks as it is unlikely their top players will be released by European clubs.
The French and English domestic seasons - where most Pumas are based - begin in August and there is no compulsion for Northern Hemisphere clubs to release international players at that time.
The leading nations signed an agreement at a recent IRB get-together in Woking to accept only full-strength touring sides, and Argentina have little chance of complying with this code.
NZRU chief executive Steve Tew said that, while the All Black coaches were keen to schedule a test in their month-long break between August 17 and September 13, they would hold off pursuing other potential opponents until they heard from the Pumas.
Communication with the Argentinians has been difficult as their administration is in turmoil since the annual meeting was cancelled suddenly in December. An extraordinary meeting is now scheduled for next month.
"If we can't play Argentina then we will look at other options as we are keen to have a test in Hamilton," said Tew. "The problem is that the bulk of the Pumas team are contracted to four French clubs who will rightly argue that they have signed these players on good money to be available for them.
"We could look at another test against one of the Pacific Island teams, although the same issues of player release would apply, or we could play an internal game.
"Or it might be that the All Black coaches deem the best option is for individuals to play in the Air New Zealand Cup."
For all the NZRU's efforts, the chances of finding a suitable international opponent in that window are slim at best. Organising an internal game - possibly a Probables versus Possibles type fixture in front of a paying crowd - is a possibility but carries the downside of detracting from the provincial competition.
With unions in dire financial straits, TV viewers and spectators drifting away, the NZRU could win back the confidence of many provinces by allowing leading All Blacks to feature in the Air New Zealand Cup in late August, early September.
