Disgraced Pumas skipper Pablo Matera has been reinstated as captain but won’t 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 resurfaced.
The tweets, originally shared between 2011 and 2013, 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 and the ban had been lifted, however the trio won’t play.
Centre Jeronimo de la Fuente will lead the side in Matera’s absence.
The UAR said in a statement the players faced a disciplinary commission on Wednesday, where they showed great remorse.
“The three players expressed their deep regret, reiterated the apology, ratified that it is not what they think and that it was a reckless act typical of immaturity,” the UAR said in a statement.
“However, they are fully responsible … 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 of Matera.
Argentina team to face Wallabies (1-15)
Nahuela Tetaz Chaparro, Julian Montoya, Francisco Gomez Kodela, Matias Alemanno, Marco Kremer, Santiago Grondona, Facundo Isa, Rodrigo Bruni, Felipe Ezcurra, Nicolas Sanchez, Emiliano Boffelli, Jeronimo de la Fuente (c), Matias Orlando, Bautista Delguy, Santiago Carreras
Bench: Jose Luis Gonzalez, Mayco Vivas, Juan Pablo Zeiss, Lucas Paulos, Francisco Gorrissen, Gonzalo Bertranou, Domingo Miotti, Santiago Chocobares
Paulo
Roar Rookie
Unfortunately there is a few ‘men’ out there like that, but sounds like you handled yourself well.
Birdy
Roar Rookie
Let's just say I treated someone like a man who didn't deserve to even be thought of as a man. The local copper who I played touch with informed me I had been charged. Between him and my solicitor, who was a friend, managed to talk sense into the non man so called victim. Everyone involved said Id shown a lot of restraint and self control. That was over 30 years ago. I have a totally clean record. Even playing football I was never sent off.
defensapuma
Guest
Not accurate. We definitely don't use the word 'negro' in friendly ways only. If you believe that I have some land to sell you in Patagonia. And to use the word 'negro' as in to drive them under the car is not only unacceptable - as in 'never ok' - but is a profoundly racist thing to say. Regardless of how the racist Argentine culture tries to normalize the behavior. Which, true enough, is a racist culture generalized throughout much of the population who are descendants from Europeans. In other words, it is going to be a long time indeed before we sing our national anthem in Mapuche or any other indigenous language, for that matter. And the same goes for Brazil who have even adopted against their protests an entire indigenous people as the team mascot, basically, the Tupis. UNACCEPTABLE, all of it. And we are way behind the world. This work in my troubled and racist country, especially in rugby circles, has barely began.
Wigeye
Guest
If you have ever used international airport taxis here you would know some foreign drivers from certain country's are honest and a joy to talk with but some foreign drivers from other certain country's are corrupt rude and are mafia so can be an issue for sure, you did ask!!. My experiences are Perth so these days b4 covid I call my friendly foreign driver when I land.
charly_777
Roar Rookie
In Argentina before 1960, Rugby was class, only the rich and upper-middle class could play. Part of Argentine society kept that old photo: 10 years ago a rugby club was opened in the poorest independent district of my region, the most traditional clubs helped it, the euphoria of the leaders of the poor district and their players to finish the only court and start playing that made you smile. The private-stolen tweets from Matera y Cia speak of a sub-culture that I did install in Argentina, that sub-culture that does not believe in personal achievements and in the effort to improve the standard of living! To those "living" who do not work 8 hours a day and live off the donations of the state, many Argentines call "Black" the color of their skin indistinct!
Wigeye
Guest
Geez I hope hoopers going to play for his own team today in the last game
moaman
Roar Guru
"Anybody who has ever cursed a foreign driver in the past decade should lose their jobs? I think not." Rant at a 'bad' driver, by all means. But why should a driver's nationality be an issue at all?
Paulo
Roar Rookie
It’s interesting how open and respectful this discussion has been. Especially when we compare it to... a certain other tweeting issue... And the nastiness that that brought out. It’s great when none of us have too much skin in the game, we can all be so much more mature haha. :happy:
Paulo
Roar Rookie
No, he lead it up to his international selection stopped, back in 2013. He has lead it the most of anyone (51), but once he wasn’t selected, he never lead it since.
Paulo
Roar Rookie
Not to be a dick... but that’s 2 words. Just saying :silly:
Paulo
Roar Rookie
Ok, the real issue is... why did you have to see a solicitor?
Wigeye
Guest
Richie Richie. What would us kiwis gain by that when we aren't in the last game and we unofficially already have the silverware dished up on a gold plate, No way, allblacks were respecting were giving the puma players personal appreciation for their effort to date. Unique. It was b4 haka not during Richie. And who would have more to gain than abs ? Not saying anything but there's a game tomorrow Saturday. :silly:
Nobrain
Roar Guru
De La Fuente is the Captain .
Richie
Roar Rookie
Just to add controversy out there, and being a conspiracy theorist did the all blacks choose to commemorate Maradonas life during the Hakka to upset the pumas before last game.
Derek Murray
Roar Rookie
Thing is Jacko, Matera has already moved on. He is the guy we all loved for his actions and words during and after the win over your ABs. He is 9 years older. He is not the same person. Do you think the 18yo would have apologised so clearly and sincerely had he been pulled up for those tweets at the time?
Colin Fenwick
Guest
Yes, when my wife was growing up in Peru, her dad used to affectionately call her Negrita, which she told me, means "my little black girl".
Pundit
Roar Guru
Why isnt Chocabates in the starting lineup.
Double Agent
Guest
My Mum once dragged me along to a musical called Les Miserables. Let me tell you the Les Miserables were the Les Chuckle Bunch compared to Les Miserable Double Agent by the end of it. :angry: Never again.
Paulo
Roar Rookie
Maybe he should focus more on his game and less on the Haka at this point...
Marlin
Roar Rookie
And I don't thinkl that Pablo ever said that, He was talking about smashing some bogans (in the opposition team). I call for Ned to smash someone every week. I don't want him to injur anyone but rather make his presence felt. I think the words attributed to Matera have been well and truely misconscrued. Maybe Carlos can translate it exactly for us?