Los Pumas to Play Host to Australia in Salta

In the 2018 Rugby Championship Los Pumas are to play host to Australia in Salta. Americas Rugby News has learned of the initiative through multiple sources. An official confirmation is to be made in the coming days.

Australia’s appearance in Salta is to be in the final round of the 2018 competition. It is to be an evening match on Saturday October 06. The venue is to be the Estadio Padre Martearena.

Salta is no stranger to the Rugby Championship. The Estadio Padre Martearena was used by Argentina for matches against South Africa in 2014, 2016 and 2017. From the three the South Americans have a 1-2 record. Their victory came in 2016 by a 26-24 scoreline.

The Wallabies’ previous away Rugby Championship matches against Argentina have been in three cities. In 2012 and 2013 they played in Rosario while in 2014, 2015 and 2017 they did so in Mendoza. The 2016 match was moved to Twickenham Stadium in London.

This year’s fixture will see the northern Argentine city hosting a Pumas vs Wallabies clash for the first time. Prior to joining the Rugby Championship in 2012 all of Argentina’s seven home games against Australia had taken place in Buenos Aires.

In seeking to grow the game domestically the policy of the UAR, since Rugby World Cup 2007, has officially been to spread home matches. It has been highly successful with the UAR recording rising profit levels and playing numbers.

The home game is estimated to host the Salta government a similar figure to that of the 2017 fixture. The total for that match was AR$4million (US$214,046).