World Rugby presidential hopeful Augustin Pichot hinted that the Jaguares could be looking at other alternatives to Super Rugby and the World Championship shortly. He suggested Super Rugby's entire blueprint could be addressed, even wondering if the Buenos Aires-based Jaguares can afford to remain if international travel becomes prohibitive.
"Maybe you find out that that competition cannot be played because it is not profitable or is too much of a burden," Pichot said.
"Even in Argentina, can we afford to carry on Super Rugby with the Jaguares having to pay for the trips all around the world? "Maybe we have to fold Jaguares and look for other alternatives."
He further confirmed that World Rugby does not have the funds to bail out SANZAAR who's loss will be an estimated 400million British Pounds if no further rugby is possible in 2020. It made the battle to quell COVID-19 in timely fashion critical for the sport in the southern hemisphere whose unions, he said, must remain unified.
"Because if Australia falls, then it hits straight to New Zealand first, then it will hit South Africa and Argentina. So we all fall," Pichot told The Breakdown show on Sky TV.
"There's no individual way. The first issue we need to address is the coronavirus and mitigate it.
"It's not about World Rugby giving handouts, because there's no handout possible. World Rugby does not have 400 million pounds."