Nicolás Vergallo is the first of many Argentine players moving to Super Rugby

Nicolás Vergallo will play Super Rugby

Argentina´s move to professionalism has been boosted today. It has been confirmed that Los Pumas scrumhalf, Nicolás Vergallo will not continue his career in France with Toulouse. Instead he will be moving to South Africa to join the country´s new Super Rugby franchise, the Southern Kings which is replacing the Lions for the 2013 season. The Southern Kings are to be based in Port Elizabeth and the teams inclusion has seen heated debates and controversy. The Lions are replaced having failed to impress. But with the team not featuring in next seasons Super Rugby campaign South Africa´s largest city, Johannesburg will not have a team in the competition.

Vergallo had been playing in France from 2008-2012. His career began with Dax who were in the Top 14 but were relegated to the Pro d2. Vergallo then moved to Toulouse for two seasons but struggled to get much game time in the 2011-2012 season. The 29 year old has played twenty-nine test matches for Argentina and was the country´s first choice player at Rugby World Cup 2011. He retained the 9 shirt for the 2012 Rugby Championship but has been overtaken by Los Pampas XV´s Martín Landajo who offers a more dynamic approach than Vergallo.

Nicolás Vergallo could well be the first of many Argentine players moving to Super Rugby. long time serving Biarritz secondrower, Manuel Carizza is one notable player off contract and has been impressiev in The Rugby Championship. Others such as Tomás De La Vega, Eusebio Guiñazú, Tomás Leonardí, Leonardo Senatore and Gonzalo Tiesi could well yet be signed to play Super Rugby.

Great news argie. I believe the rules are different for taking the overseas players for different franchises but I hope we get a few of them here. The argenrinians and their rugby is adding a much needed flavour to our SH rugby environment.

That's good news. However, aren't there still limits on the number of overseas players in Super Rugby squads? I know the Rebels got special dispensation for more, and the Kings have just asked SARU for a similar exemption. Currently, it looks like South African franchises are limited to 2 capped internationals.

Yeah needs to be softened specifically to allow argie players given they have no side-why wasn't there a push to be a single argie franchise instead of the kings perhaps?

It is most likely that he will pair up with Catrakilis then as halfback pairing, the Kings have been saying Catrakilis will be their target at 10

Send them to the land of Oz. Just follow the yellow brick road and the pile of injured Wallabies...

I don't know if anyone else saw that Parkes from Auckland has signed with the Kings as well.

Clearly a franchise built on sand.

Driftsand indeed.

nganboy wrote:I don't know if anyone else saw that Parkes from Auckland has signed with the Kings as well.

Clearly a franchise built on sand.

Parkes? Ouch.

I know he's fairly average, but does Sir JK have any players left at the Blues?