Pumas invited to play Mandela match

13 years on: Possible Puma fixture

Argentina have received a Test match invite to face world champions South Africa to mark former president Nelson Mandela's 90th birthday, the Argentine union revealed on Tuesday.

Mandela, an avid rugby supporter was South Africa's president when the Springboks first won the Webb Ellis trophy in 1995, and memorably presented captain Francois Pienaar with the trophy.

The invitation has led the UAR to contact European club authorities to request the release of their international stars for the one-off game due to be played in Johannesburg.

However, the majority of the Pumas' World Cup 2007 squad ply their trade at French and English clubs and will be undertaking pre-season training between the possible August 2 and 9 dates.

"Once this matter has been settled in the coming days the UAR will confirm its participation in the match," the union said in a statement on their official website.