Argentina rugby union pull u-turn as Pablo Matera reinstated as Pumas captain
Disgraced Pumas skipper Pablo Matera has been reinstated as captain but will not face the Wallabies in Saturday night’s final Tri Nations clash in Sydney.
Matera was sensationally stripped of the captaincy and stood down from the Bankwest Stadium Test, along with teammates Guido Petti and Santiago Socino, after racist tweets re-surfaced.
Originally shared between 2011 and 2013, the tweets related to Bolivian and Paraguayan domestic staff and black people, and were described by the Argentina Rugby Union (UAR) as “discriminatory and xenophobic”.
The UAR confirmed on Thursday the players had faced a disciplinary hearing, where they had shown great remorse, and the ban had been lifted, however the trio were left out of the side to face Australia.
Centre Jeronimo de la Fuente will lead the team in Matera’s absence.
“The three players expressed their deep regret, reiterated the apology, ratified that it is not what they think and that it was a rec kless act typical of immaturity,” the UAR said in a statement.
“However, they are fully responsible … and seek to amend the damage caused.
“At the time of preliminary issuance, the Disciplinary Committee has considered and assessed the attitude of the three players during this process, and understands that they have not repeated similar actions during these more than eight years, and that they have shown during this time to be people with firm and upright values, worthy of being part of our team.”
The UAR said the commission would reach a final resolution in the next few days but resolved to lift the suspension and restore the captaincy to Matera, who last month became a national hero after he inspired the team to their first win over the All Blacks.
The players had the support of Argentine rugby greats Agustin Creevy and Agustin Pichot, who both said the trio had changed.
Former captain Creevy, Argentina’s most-capped rugby player of all-time having played 89 Tests including 49 as skipp er, said the tweets no longer represented the players.
Creevy captained the players at international level until 2018.
“As a group we know each other. I know Pablo, Guido and Santiago and I know who they are today,” Creevy wrote in a statement on Twitter.
“The sordid tweets they wrote years ago do not represent them at all. They have acknowledged it themselves, felt ashamed and apologised.
“All people make mistakes, and athletes are not exempt from that.”
Former halfback Pichot played 71 Tests for the Pumas and also captained the side before moving into administration.
A highly respected figure who earlier this year stood for election as chairman of World Rugby, Pichot was the driving force behind the country’s elevation into the Rugby Championship and Super Rugby.
He said the players had matured since the posts.
“All 3 players’ tweets were wrong,” Pichot tweeted.
“I believe in their repentance and in their maturation since they wrote it.”
Argentina: Santiago Carreras, Bautista Delguy, Matias Orlando, Jeronimo de la Fuente (c), Emiliano Boffelli, Nicolas Sanchez, Felipe Ezcurra; Rodrigo Bruni, Facundo Isa, Santiago Grondona, Marcos Kremer, Matias Alemmano, Francisco Gomez Kodela, Julian Montoya, Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro. Reserves: Jose Luis Gonzalez, Mayco Vivas, Juan Pablo Zeiss, Lucas Paulos, Francisco Gorrissen, Gonzalo Bertranou, Domingo Miotti, Santiago Chocobares.
– Melissa Woods
Comments on RugbyPass
Test rugby is different level Some players are just big time players when the stakes are high they play better. The boks often lost to AUS on tour as they wanted to beat AB. Even at school level this is the case where some guys play better in tough games.
40 Go to commentsLet’s hope he misses more than just the Force game or the Reds won’t get very far in the finals.
1 Go to commentsThanks Nick. I’m looking at the other 7 options in Australia and they don’t seem to be close behind Fraser at the moment? Even before reading this I thought he was well ahead. A random one - Slipper and Allalatoa seem to be getting well beaten in the scrum. I can’t remember this happening often before. Is it a technique/teamwork issue or are their bodies finally past it?
12 Go to commentsNZ is now entrenched in Div 2 of womens rugby. Canada would be thrashed by the likes of France or England. Europe are Div 1, with massive competitions, massive money…
2 Go to commentsBlackadder dies not deserve selection. He has not played enough games. Finau is just better. Kaino's replacement at Blindside On form TJ should be the starting 9 .
127 Go to commentsThe difference is Cotter..
5 Go to commentsThey can’t handle the level of comp in the NH. Pollard was a complete waste at Montpellier - and was the backup 12 when he left. Kitschoff was stealing his paycheque every week at Ulster,- getting absolutely rinsed by backup THs in the URC. There is a reason all the Boks go to Japan - they don’t have it in them to be able to compete. And yes, they won the RWC. Where Barnes and O'Keeffe were the direct reason for that tragedy occurring.
40 Go to commentsTrouble with Jones is he has so many impractical innovations. Kemeney wasn't good enough in any position for top level test rugby. I like how Vern has Papalii playing. He's always had the workrate when in form, although I'm not sure that he quite has Cane's mongrel.
12 Go to commentsPut those results on the old CV and send it in to the crusaders bro.
1 Go to commentsJust go with a top 6 system where the top 2 teams go straight to the semi-finals and the other 4 teams fight it out for the other 2 semi-final spots.
8 Go to commentsIt’s a shame that Baxter wasn’t nominated for DoR of the season. what he did is more impressive than McCall imo
1 Go to commentsSeveral boks said during World Cup they play so hard to give people back home hope. As an Englishman the Springboks Captain’s life story is an inspiration which should give us all hope and inspiration. Rather like that other great South African, Nelson Mandela
40 Go to commentsFox News, Tucker Carlson, Jordan Peterson and Joe Rogan? Yikes.
1 Go to commentsThat is harsh though. Messi has/had a reputation for trying to keep his feet and keep dribbling for goal. Many of his brethren were the histrionic divers but not him.
2 Go to commentsMcReight is certainly one of the first picked. He’s going to be the glue, a Wallaby with some rugby IQ and the everywhere man for the Wallabies.
12 Go to commentsSophie De Goede is one of the best players we’ve ever produced. Kicked all the points, 2 try assists, line out takes, carries, tackles, charge downs… what a player
1 Go to commentsThe guy had just beasted himself in a scrum and the blood hadn't yet returned to his head when he was pushed into a team mate. He took his weight off his left foot precisely at the moment he was shoved and dropped to the floor when seemingly trying to avoid stepping on Hyron Andrews’ foot. I don't think he was trying to milk a penalty, I think he was knackered but still switched on enough to avoid planting 120kgs on the dorsum of his second row’s foot. To effectively “police” such incidents with a (noble) view to eradicating play acting in rugby, yet more video would need to be reviewed in real time, which is not in the interest of the game as a sporting spectacle. I would far rather see Farrell penalised for interfering with the refereeing of the game. Perhaps he was right to be frustrated, he was much closer to the action than the only camera angle I've seen, however his vocal objection to Rodd’s falling over doesn't legitimately fall into the captain's role as the mouthpiece of his team - he should have kept his frustration to himself, that's one of the pillars of rugby union. I appreciate that he was within his rights to communicate with the referee as captain but he didn't do this, he moaned and attempted to sway the decision by directing his complaint to the player rather than the ref. Rugby needs to look closely at the message it wants to send to young players and amateur grassroots rugby. The best way to do this would be to apply the laws as they are written and edit them where the written laws no longer apply. If this means deleting laws such as ‘the put in to the scrum must be straight”, so be it. Likewise, if it is no longer necessary to respect the referee’s decision without questioning it or pre-emptively attempting to sway it (including by diving or by shouting and gesticulating) then this behaviour should be embraced (and commercialised). Otherwise any reference to respecting the referee should be deleted from the laws. You have to start somewhere to maintain the values of rugby and the best place to start would be giving a penalty and a warning against the offending player, followed by a yellow card the next time. People like Farrell would rapidly learn to keep quiet and let their skills do the talking.
1 Go to commentsThe name “Kwagga” came to mind while I was reading this. And there’s another Sevens convert roaming the wide open kant at the Lions now - JC Pretorius. Keep an eye on him.
12 Go to comments2024 Rugby Championship: Sat, 10 Aug 2024 – Sat, 28 Sept 2024. Looking forward to watching the All Blacks coached by Scott Robertson, with or without the ‘dynamic’ qualities of Shannon Michael Frizell - see his display against South Africa at Go Media Mount Smart Stadium on July 15.
1 Go to commentsI agree about 8 being too many The English premiership has top four only Top 14 has six URC has 8 I think 6 would be fine It gives those other two teams an incentive But rewarding a team in perhaps 8th with three wins is atrocious If they get in they know they only need one big game
8 Go to comments