Argentina to play New Zealand at River Plate Stadium, Australia in Twickenham

Argentina is to play against New Zealand at River Plate Stadium in the 2016 Rugby Championship. Located in Buenos Aires the stadium is the largest in Argentina and has an extensive record in hosting premier sporting events including the final of the 1978 FIFA World Rugby.

Los Pumas have previously played three times at the stadium. End of year test matches were played in 2000, 2001 and 2002 against South Africa, New Zealand and Australia respectively. This year’s Rugby Championship fixture will, nonetheless, be breaking new ground as it will be the first time Buenos Aires has hosted a fixture.

In 2012-2014 Argentina faced New Zealand at La Plata while South Africa played a non-Rugby Championship fixture against Los Pumas at Vélez Sarsfield Stadium in 2015.

Confirmation of River Plate as the official venue was made from Argentine rugby site A Pleno Rugby who spoke with UAR President Carlos Araujo. He told the site “it is almost official that we are going to play against the All Blacks at River Plate“. “My expectation, as a fan and leader, is that we can get it done at River and complete our first victory against New Zealand“.

Salta
Araujo also made it known that there is to be a public announcement shortly regarding the previously confirmed allocation of Los Pumas vs South Africa to the northern city of Salta.

The city will host a Rugby Championship match for the second time. After previously having done so in 2014 the city will have a second opportunity. As was the case in the 2014 tournament this year’s fixture will be Argentina’s first game on home soil.

London, England
The Wallabies are to again be the third visitors but they will be playing against Argentina in a different venue to that of previous Rugby Championship tournaments. In 2012 and 2013 the Australians played in Rosario while in 2014 and 2015 they did so in Mendoza.

The western Argentine city of Mendoza pulled out of bidding for a match this year which coincides with the UAR’s stated ambition of moving a match to London. Araujo commented “we will finish up by playing against Australia in Twickenham.”

The match will be a replay of the Rugby World Cup 2015 Semi Final and will be breaking new ground as it will be the first time in Rugby Championship fixture that a neutral stadium will be used to host a match.

Reaction from within Argentina to the possibility had not been entirely positive and Araujo has acknowledged that the criticism is fair. He too, would like all games to be played in the country but has signaled that by playing in England the economic gain will make it entirely justified.

Tucumán
Argentina’s population will have no shortage of options in 2016. In addition to Buenos Aires and Salta hosting Rugby Championship matches other cities are to be used for test matches in June.

The rugby stronghold of Tucumán will host two mid-year test matches against France. The northern Argentine city has been a regular host of Los Pumas matches, hosting not only South American opposition but also countries including France, Italy, Ireland, Japan, Romania, Scotland and Wales.

Tucumán has produced many Pumas over the years including Argentina’s all-time leading try scorer José Maria Nunez Piossek, former Toulouse prop Omar Hasan and Rugby World Cup 2015 leading scorer Nicolás Sánchez.

The most recent test match in the city was against Ireland in June 2014. It has, however, not been used for more than one test match per year for over twenty years. The last time Los Pumas played two matches in a year in Tucumán was 1995.

Comodoro Rivadavia

Ensuring that all parts of Argentina will have access to Los Pumas in 2016 will see the southern city of Comodoro Rivadavia hosting test match rugby for the first time in history. Located in Chubut province, Comodoro Rivadavia is to become the second Patagonian city to host international rugby after Los Pumas faced Wales in Puerto Madryn in 2005.

The match in Comodoro Rivadavia is to be against Italy. The Italians will have a busy month with test matches also taking place in North America against both Canada and the USA. Los Pumas will play the match some 2,400km to the south of Tucumán before traveling to face the French.

For former Castres and now Jaguares Tighthead Prop Ramiro Herrera the fixture will be special as it will be played in his home town. The UAR is set to market the fixture around Herrera to actively engage with the local population.

Pictured below the Municipal Stadium will undergo a temporary upgrade to be up to meet World Rugby requirements to stage the international.