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Argentina’s hopes of competing in an expanded Tri-Nations have been boosted by the news that its leading players will be granted release from their clubs to participate in the tournament.

Players based with European teams are currently only released for the June and November matches but the International Rugby Board Council has approved a change to Regulation 9 which governs the release of players for international duty that will create a new release period from late August to early October – the proposed dates of the new Four Nations tournament featuring Argentina, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa.

IRB chairman Bernard Lapasset said: "This announcement represents an historic milestone in the process of Argentina's integration into an expanded Tri Nations tournament and is an extremely exciting development for the Unión Argentina de Rugby and rugby around the world.

"At the Woking Forum in 2007, the global rugby community made a commitment to prioritise finding an appropriate solution for Argentina's integration into an annual tournament structure.

"This regulatory amendment, coupled with the significant financial assistance of the IRB and SANZAR [the umbrella body representing South Africa, New Zealand and Australia], represents the global rugby community's support of this important programme and I would like to thank all parties, and in particular SANZAR, for their dedication to making Argentina's Four Nations dream a reality. We will continue to work in close collaboration with all stakeholders to make Argentina's transition as smooth as possible.”