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UAR President Carlos Araujo has made it known through comments that Argentina’s Super Rugby franchise will play home games at Vélez Sarsfeld. The 50,000 capacity stadium is to be leased by the UAR after attempts at constructing or using an already existing rugby ground were unsuccessful.
Also known as the Estadio José Amalfitani, Vélez Sarsfield has been the unofficial home ground for Argentine rugby in Buenos Aires. It was the setting for Los Pumas’ farewell test before departing for England this year. In all the stadium hosted 28 test matches from 1986-2015 with Tier 1 rivals Australia, England, France, Ireland, Italy, New Zealand, Scotland, South Africa and Wales all playing at the ground.
Araujo made it clear that details in complete are to be announced shortly. “On December 16 we will confirm the name, shirt, staff and players. It is going to be great. The shirt is taking a long time, and it is most likely that we will make a giant board displaying the colors and logo“.
Parque Sarmiento, CASI, Tigre and Huracán had all been different options for the Super Rugby franchise but Vélez is ultimately to be utilized instead. Araujo commented that “apparently everything has been arranged, we are going to get to know the training locations and the stadium. There is a lost of expectation because it is a fabulous tournament” expanded Araujo.
The UAR President also commented on the busy year ahead in which Argentina will have a notably superior calendar to previous years. Argentina’s packed fixture list contains a record number of capped internationals including test matches against a staggering 13 different countries.
Venues for the opening internationals of the year are expected the be announced in the coming weeks. Argentina will host Canada and Chile in February in the Americas Rugby Cup before hosting three test matches in June with France and Italy visiting.
Araujo and the UAR are keen on celebrating 2016 appropriately. “Do not forget that this is the Bicentennial of Independence and it is most likely that we will play two matches against France in Tucumán and we are seeking to stage a match in Patagonia, which we had made a long-term promise to do“.
Araujo also confirmed that Romania has, indeed, made a request to the UAR. “Romania qualified for the under 20 World Championship which will be played in Manchester and asked us to embark on a mini-tour of Uruguay and Argentina, which we gladly accepted for them to prepare against Los Pumitas“.
