Argentina will take their Rugby Championship 'home' fixture against Australia this year not to Buenos Aires, Mendoza or Rosario - but to London.
Argentina rugby fan watches his side at the 2015 World Cup. Photo: PHOTOSPORT
England rugby's governing body the RFU made the announcement today that the Pumas and Wallabies would do battle on at Twickenham on October 8th.
The match will be the first time a Rugby Championship match will be be played outside the four nations involved in the southern hemisphere tournament.
The clash will take place just over a year after the two sides played at the same venue in the semi-finals of the Rugby World Cup, a bruising match the Wallabies won 29-15.
The Pumas' other home matches in the Rugby Championship will be in Argentina - against South Africa on August 27 in Salta and against New Zealand on October 1 in Buenos Aires.
Despite taking a Test against world No.2 Australia away from fans in Argentina to neutral territory and foregoing home-ground advantage, the president of Union Argentina de Rugby (UAR), Carlos Araujo, wasn't fazed.
"Playing again in Twickenham which is one of the main stages of rugby in the world, it's fantastic for the UAR," Araujo said in a statement.
"We are grateful to the Rugby Football Union for letting us be local in their stadium."
ARU CEO Bill Pulver was also excited about the Wallabies heading back to Twickenham, where they lost the World Cup final to the All Blacks.
"Our recent broadcast agreement with Sky Sports also indicates there is huge interest in the tournament in the UK," said Pulver.
"From an ARU perspective, this is another fantastic opportunity to showcase the Wallabies to our fans based in England, as well as thousands of new fans."
Australia will start their spring tour of Europe - when they take on Wales, Scotland, France, Ireland and England - only four weeks after the clash with Argentina.
-AAP
