Torneo del Interior explained

Torneo del Interior
Current Season:2021
Sport:Rugby union
Teams:16
Champ Season:2022
Most Champs:Duendes (5 titles)
Related Comps:URBA Top 12
Levels:1

The Torneo del Interior A is an annual rugby union competition in Argentina. The competition involves clubs from all provincial unions outside Buenos Aires. Teams qualify from different tournaments along the provinces of Argentina, such as Litoral, Noroeste, Córdoba, Nordeste, Pampeano, Oeste and Patagónico.

There are also two lower divisions of Torneo del Interior, "Interior B" and "Interior C", with a similar format.

Overview

The original tournament was held from 1998 to 2004, being re-launched in 2009, in an effort to bring provincial clubs to the same level as the teams from Buenos Aires.[1]

Buenos Aires clubs do not participate in this competition so they take part in the Top 12 organised by the URBA. From 2013 on, the top nine teams from the Torneo del Interior qualify for the Nacional de Clubes, where they compete with the top seven teams from the Torneo de la URBA.[2]

Format

The "Torneo del Interior A" is contested by 16 clubs from the best placed teams of predetermined seven regional tournaments. Teams are divided into four zones, playing each other in a double round-robin tournament. Teams with the most points in each zone advance to quarter finals, concluding with semi-finals and a final.[3]

In 2018, Uruguayan club Montevideo Cricket took part of the tournament by invitation.[4]

Championships

Below is the list of finals contested from 1998 to date:[5]

Finals

Ed.Seasonwidth=170pxChampionScorewidth=170pxRunner-up
Jockey Club (C)
Jockey Club (C)
Jockey Club (R)
La Tablada
Jockey Club (R) Universitario (T)
Duendes
Tala Los Tarcos
Duendes
La Tablada
La Tablada
Duendes
Duendes
Urú Curé Los Tordos
Cardenales Los Tordos
Los Tarcos Jockey Club (R)
La Tablada Gimnasia y Esgrima (R)
CURNE Huirapuca
Gimnasia y Esgrima (R)
Duendes Huirapuca
Universitario (T) Córdoba AC
Notes

Titles by team

width=150pxTeamTitlesYears won
2003, 2009, 2012, 2013, 2022
2001, 2010, 2011, 2017
1998, 1999
2000, 2002
2004
Urú Curé 2014
2015
2016
CURNE 2018
Gimnasia y Esgrima (R)2019
Universitario (T)2023

Notes and References

  1. https://web.archive.org/web/20131030001254/http://www.uar.org.ar/torneos_y_testmatches/default.asp?idtorneo=4 Torneo del Interior at UAR website
  2. http://www.uar.com.ar/noticias/noticias.asp?idinfo=1916 "Nuevo Torneo Nacional de Clubes a partir del 2014"
  3. http://uar.com.ar/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/2018-Competencias-Clubes-Interior-A-Reglamento.pdf Reglamento Torneo del Interior 2018
  4. http://marcapaisuruguay.gub.uy/montevideo-cricket-club-se-destaca-importante-torneo-argentino-rugby/ Montevideo Cricket Club se destaca en importante torneo argentino de rugby
  5. https://web.archive.org/web/20140226223733/http://www.uar.org.ar/upload/pdfs/torneos/104-Historial%20Torneo%20del%20Interior.pdf Historial Torneo del Interior