SYDNEY — Australian Rugby Union chief executive Bill Pulver says Argentina’s newly-formed Jaguares are capable of winning the title in their debut season.

Pulver said the first Argentina franchise in Super Rugby had been able to call on many of the nation’s Test players and had been favoured by a draw that ensured they will be “seriously competitive”.

Noting that the Jaguares have been drawn in one of the tournament’s weakest conferences, with South African sides the Kings — also making their debut in 2016 — and the Lions and Sharks, who were eighth and 11th in last season’s competition, Pulver said: “We’re nervous that Argentina could win the damn thing. They have a lot of their Test players in this Super Rugby team and they will be seriously competitive.”

In addition to playing their conference rivals home and away, the Jaguares will play the four sides from the Africa 1 Conference — the Stormers, Bulls, Cheetahs and the new Tokyo-based Sunwolves — and the five New Zealand sides — the reigning champion Highlanders, Hurricanes, Crusaders, Chiefs and Blues.

The Pumas surprised many by reaching the Rugby World Cup semi-finals. Throw in the vagaries of a complicated four-conference draw for the new 18-team competition and anything is possible.

On paper, Australia’s five teams all face a more treacherous path than those faced by the Jaguares, Sunwolves and six South African outfits. The Stormers and Bulls, for example, will not even strike a Kiwi opponent until at least the finals in the first year of the new-look competition.

Yet the Brumbies, NSW Waratahs, Queensland Reds, Western Force and Melbourne Rebels will clash home and away for two derbies, and each play their other two conference rivals, all five New Zealand teams and the Bulls, Stormers, Cheetahs and Sunwolves once. None of the Australian teams will get to play against the seemingly weaker Africa 2 Conference sides — the Sharks, Lions, Kings and Jaguares.

The Super 18 season begins on Feb 26. AGENCIES