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Jaguares players encouraged to pursue overseas offers

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Check out this monstrous rugby stiff-arm from another dimension (0:21)

This rugby player applies a ferocious stiff-arm to the defender en route to a score. (0:21)

Jaguares players have been encouraged to take deals overseas amid an uncertain outlook for Super Rugby due to the coronavirus pandemic, centre Jeronimo de la Fuente told ESPN.

Super Rugby has been suspended since March and the future of this year's competition remains in doubt due to travel curbs and border controls.

There is also a push to reduce the huge travel costs that exist in the competition's current format, with Australia doing its best to convince New Zealand to create a trans-Tasman competition. South Africa, meanwhile, has long been linked with a move to the northern hemisphere's professional leagues, a move that is already partly in place through the Cheetahs and Southern Kings [PRO14].

Such uncertainty has seemingly put the Union de Argentina in a tenuous position, a situation it has conveyed to its players.

"The UAR ... told us that if (a player) had an offer in the future, to take it to ease the economic issue a little," De La Fuente said.

"They told us that if we had any possibility of emigrating that we take it and that the UAR was going to be predisposed to help us to be able to travel.

"Not that the UAR is going to let all its players go.

"It will try to retain a base so that professional rugby remains in place, competing, and basically so that there's some competition within the country where they can take Jaguares, Ceibos or Argentina XV."

Super Rugby's governing body SANZAAR has yet to officially abandon the 2020 season, which was suspended after seven rounds.

However, the Tokyo-based Sunwolves, Japan's sole team, confirmed their exit from the competition on Monday after a bid to play in Australia's domestic "Super Rugby AU" tournament fell through.

New Zealand will also welcome the return of rugby next week with a Super Rugby Aotearoa, pitting their five Super Rugby team against each other in a competition that will generate much-needed revenue.

The Jaguares, Super Rugby's only Argentine team and runners-up in the competition last year, have fewer opportunities on the home front where the sport remains mostly amateur.

UAR President Marcelo Rodriguez said he was "optimistic" about the Jaguares despite COVID-19's challenges.

"We are sure that in one way or another Jaguares will be put in a competition that is economically and financially sustainable for the UAR," he told ESPN.