Japan may step up for Rugby Championship but money favours Pumas

SANZAAR is holding preliminary talks about bringing Japan into The Rugby Championship if Argentina is forced to withdraw.

A decision on Argentina’s inclusion in The Rugby Championship is set to be made this week. Picture: AFP

SANZAAR is holding preliminary talks about bringing Japan into The Rugby Championship if Argentina is forced to withdraw because of an outbreak of COVID-19 within their squad, but there is no question that the Pumas remain the preferred team.

The reason for that is, admittedly, fairly crass. If Argentina takes its place in TRC, alongside Australia, New Zealand and South Africa, then the terms and conditions of the broadcast deal will have been met in full. Any change to that formula, however, and Foxtel and other broadcasters have the option of cancelling or downgrading the payment still outstanding for the finals months of the five-year deal done in 2015.

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Rugby Australia was scheduled to receive around $57 million from its broadcaster this year, although some of that money has already eroded following the cancellation of the inbound Tests against Ireland and the substitution of the domestic Super Rugby AU competition for the broader Super Rugby series, abandoned after seven rounds. It is thought at least $30 million is still to be claimed by RA. Whatever the precise figure is, it is desperately needed by rugby authorities to keep the wolf from the door.

Japan had been scheduled to take part in the planned Eight Nations tournament in the northern hemisphere in November-December but withdrew because of ongoing concerns over the coronavirus pandemic. Even before the COVID-19 crisis, there were plans to bring Japan into TRC in the near future but those arrangements could be fast tracked, at least for this year, if Argentina is not able to take its place in the hub-style tournament arranged for New Zealand in November.

A decision on the Pumas will be taken by SANZAAR over the next week but Argentina is confident that in the two months before the tournament is held, its six contaminated players – Juan Cruz Mallia, Emiliano Boffelli, Bautista Delguy, Rodrigo Fernandez Criado, Bautista Pedemonte and Lucas Bur – could all test negative. All are asymptomatic and have been isolated from teammates.

Meanwhile, Wallabies coach Dave Rennie has named the first instalments of his expected 46-man squad for the TRC, with 12 Waratahs, all members of the Players of National Interest (PONI) squad plus backrower Jack Dempsey, and three Western Force players all being chosen to train-on this week at the NSW training centre at Daceyville.

Right up to a minute before full-time in Newcastle on Saturday, the NSW players were still hopeful they would qualify for the Super Rugby AU qualifying final against Queensland Reds at Suncorp Stadium on Saturday night. But then Melbourne replacement prop Cabous Eloff was awarded the try which, with Matt Tomua’s subsequent easy conversion, gave the Rebels the four-point victory over the Western Force they needed to advance to the showdown with the play-offs for the first time.

NSW Waratahs youngster Will Harrison is among the NSW players to be called in to Dave Rennie’s first Wallabies squad. Picture: NSW Rugby

For the Waratahs watching on it spelt the end of their season, though not for the dozen players named to work with Wallabies assistant coach Scott Wisemantel and strength and conditioning John Pryor.

Effectively the entire Waratahs forward pack – hooker Tom Horton and props Angus Bell and Harry Johnson-Holmes, locks Rob Simmons and Ned Hanigan, and backrowers Michael Hooper, Lachie Swinton and Dempsey – have been named in the squad, along with halves Jake Gordon and Will Harrison and back three specialists James Ramm and Jack Maddocks.

Significantly, there was no room for Wallabies loosehead Tom Robertson, nor for inside centre Karmichael Hunt.

There were only three Force players named – Wallabies centre Kyle Godwin, who is expected to move to the Tahs next year, backrower Brynard Stander and replacement hooker Feleti Kaiti’u.

Utility forward Fergus Lee-Warner surprisingly missed out as did winger Bryon Ralston, who led the Super Rugby AU try-scoring list early in the season before being ruled out with concussion.

Coincidentally, both players were yellow carded for separate incidents against the Rebels, although that is not regarded as a factor in their omission.

There was no place for veteran Andrew Ready, despite the growing alarm over the repeated failures of Australian hookers to throw into the lineouts with any accuracy, while captain and halfback Ian Prior – who coach Tim Sampson repeatedly recommended to the selectors – was probably on the wrong side of 30.