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The Unión de Rugby de Tucumán (URT) is to have its own independent High Performance Center. The move comes with the ambition of investment in player development and moving towards having a team in Super Rugby Americas.
Los Naranjas could thus be a new team in Super Rugby Americas 2025. This would be the third professional Argentine team in the league, joining Los Pampas (Buenos Aires but under UAR control) and Los Dogos (Córdoba).
Regional manager and former Pumas Head Coach, Daniel Hourcade notes that part of the plan will require Tucumán to have a high number of homegrown players in a Tucumán Super Rugby Americas franchise.
Increased opportunities for more Tucumanos would firmly return Tucumán to the rugby map. The province has been historically important, including playing home matches against the All Blacks. Tucumán has also hosted many test matches over the decades.
The province has produced Pumas including Pablo Garretón, Martín Terán, Santiago Mesón, Omar Hasan, Julio Farías Cabello, José Núñez Piossek, Matías Orlando, Lucas Noguera Paz, Nicolás Sánchez and Mateo Carreras.
Notwithstanding, the production and pathway from Tucumán upwards has not been so successful in recent times. Hourcade notes that of the 112 Argentine players in Super Rugby Americas 2023 only three were Tucumanos.
Hourcade deems the number to be tremendously low considering the historical importance of Tucumán to Los Pumas and Argentine rugby. He believes that what is lacking is a project. In other words, a professional rugby team would be in the interests of Hourcade, the province and Sudamérica Rugby.
Expansion of professionalism in Argentina has come about following the demise of Los Jaguares in Super Rugby, now Super Rugby Pacific. Despite making the final of Super Rugby 2019, the Argentine team was cut from the competition during the pandemic. Japan and South Africa are now also not involved. They have been moves for Los Jaguares to return to Super Rugby in 2026. Meanwhile, Super Rugby Americas continues to improve and grow.
