The Torneo Regional del NOA (NorOeste Argentino – Argentine North-West), also known as Torneo del Noroeste, is a regional

rugby union Rugby union football, commonly known simply as rugby union in English-speaking countries and rugby 15/XV in non-English-speaking world, Anglophone Europe, or often just rugby, is a Contact sport#Terminology, close-contact team sport that orig ...

competition in

Argentina Argentina, officially the Argentine Republic, is a country in the southern half of South America. It covers an area of , making it the List of South American countries by area, second-largest country in South America after Brazil, the fourt ...

. Originally, only clubs from the Tucumán Rugby Union took part. In successive editions the competition added clubs from the unions of

Jujuy San Salvador de Jujuy (), commonly known as Jujuy and locally often referred to as San Salvador, is the capital and largest city of Jujuy Province in northwest Argentina. Also, it is the seat of the Doctor Manuel Belgrano Department. It lies near ...

Salta Salta () is the capital and largest city in the Provinces of Argentina, Argentine province of Salta Province, the same name. With a population of 618,375 according to the 2010 census, it is also the List of cities in Argentina, 7th most-populous ...

, and Sgo. del Estero provinces. This yearly tournament has traditionally been dominated by Tucumán clubs. Clubs from the other 3 provinces have yet to win a title.

Universitario Club Universitario de Deportes is a Peruvian sports club based in Lima, which has soccer as its main activity. It also has women's football, volleyball and basketball sections. The football team, popularly known as Universitario, has competed in ...

is the most successful team, with 24 titles won to date.

History

Rugby was first played in Tucumán in 1915 but the first official rugby team in the province – Club Natación y Gimnasia– would only be formed in 1936. Six years later

Tucumán Rugby Club Tucumán Rugby Club (TRC) is an Argentine sports club based in the city of Yerba Buena in Tucumán Province. Although other sports (such as tennis and field hockey) are practised in the institution, Tucumán is mostly known for its rugby union team ...

was founded, followed by Universitario Rugby Club in 1943 and Cardenales Rugby Club in 1944. Those four clubs would go on to found the "Unión de Rugby del Norte" on 29 February 1944. Although the URN was based in

Tucumán Province Tucumán () is the most densely populated, and the second-smallest by land area, of the provinces of Argentina. Located in the northwest of the country, the province has the capital of San Miguel de Tucumán, often shortened to Tucumán. Neighb ...

it also dealt with fledgling clubs from the neighbouring provinces of

and

Santiago del Estero Santiago del Estero (, Spanish for ''Saint-James-Upon-The-Lagoon'') is the capital of Santiago del Estero Province in northern Argentina. It has a population of 252,192 inhabitants, () making it the twelfth largest city in the country, with a sur ...

. Later these provinces would go on to form their own unions in 1951, 1966 and 1968 respectively. Although all four provinces take part in the regional Torneo del Noroeste, they still organise their own local competitions.

Format

As of 2022, 10 clubs from all 4 provinces took part in the tournament. The competition is divided into two zones. The four best placed teams qualify to "Zona Campeonato" to crown the champion of the season. The tournament uses a

promotion and relegation Promotion and relegation is used by sports leagues as a process where teams can move up and down among divisions in a league system, based on their performance over a season. Leagues that use promotion and relegation systems are sometimes call ...

system. Champion and runner-up of Torneo del Noroeste qualify for the

Nacional de Clubes The Torneo Nacional de Clubes is a club rugby union competition in Argentina, organised by the Argentine Rugby Union (UAR). The Nacional de Clubes is the main club competition in Argentine rugby, being contested by a total of 16 teams, 8 from Bue ...

, the main club competition of Argentina while the other best placed teams qualify for

Torneo del Interior The Torneo del Interior A is an annual rugby union competition in Argentina. The competition involves clubs from all provincial unions outside Unión de Rugby de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires. Teams qualify from different tournaments along the pro ...

, the national club competition outside Buenos Aires.

Championships

Results

;Notes

Titles by team

References

External links

Tournament news
at URT
Tournament news
at Norte Rugby website {{Rugby union in Argentina Rugby union leagues in Argentina 1944 establishments in Argentina