KEY POINTS:
Argentina could be playing in an expanded Tri-Nations tournament next year.
They have proved good enough to compete with their Southern Hemisphere rivals in a new four-team tournament which has the backing of TV bosses. Ironically, the only barrier appears to be the International Rugby Board, a body
that ought to be the Pumas' greatest supporters.
They patted the Pumas on the head, figuratively speaking, after Monday's semifinal against South Africa and told them how well they'd done to reach the last four. They could finish third if they beat France on Saturday.
Yet the IRB continues to drag its feet over getting the Pumas into a serious professional competition. IRB chairman Syd Millar, asked recently what the board intended to do to end the anomaly of Argentina's isolation from world rugby, said the IRB could not force their entry into an international competition.
TV bosses in the Southern Hemisphere are not satisfied with the current Tri-Nations format and are reluctant to see a return to the three nations playing each other three times.
They say they have little further interest in that formula.
"Quite honestly, this Tri-Nations event simply isn't working for us. We want to see a meaningful expansion and that means Argentina coming in," said an insider.
"If it doesn't, they risk ending up without a TV deal at all. The figures aren't good and something has to be done. Now."
The Sanzar TV deal is due to run until 2010 but television does not want to wait that long to change the format.
The IRB could put up a financial sum to assuage the concerns of the three Southern Hemisphere powers about the cake being cut four ways and that is the chief stumbling block to immediate action. If the loss were covered it would be inexplicable for those nations to resist Argentina's entry.
But the likelier route is for the Sanzar countries to go directly to the TV people and request a renegotiated contact that included Argentina.
The deal could be struck before Christmas. Argentina could gain entry into next year's tournament and rightfully take their place in a proper, professional competition.
The board's claims that they are powerless to act is a mystery. A governing body in any sport surely has the capacity to run its own game.
If this is not the case in rugby, then it says that there is a dangerous vacuum at the top. In time, outside interests may look to exploit such a void.
* Peter Bills is chief rugby correspondent for Independent News & Media in London
