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Pablo Matera is to miss the June test matches against Wales and Scotland. The flanker was injured playing for Los Jaguares against the Brumbies in Canberra on Sunday.
Capped 46 times by Argentina, Matera is a huge loss for his country’s upcoming home internationals. Argentina will play host to Wales in San Juan and Santa Fé in a two match series and will play once against Scotland in Resistencia.
The Jaguares’ skipper will be unable to compete. Instead Matera will be recuperating his left shoulder. The injury is to require between two and three months recovery time. His likely return got Los Pumas is thereby to be for the Rugby Championship.
The injury potentially also means that Matera’s Super Rugby season is over. With Los Jaguares playing their final regular season match on July 14 it is highly likely that Matera will not return in time.
In place of Matera the Jaguares captaincy has gone to Joaquín Tuculet. The 28-year-old will captain the team from fullback against the Blues in Auckland on Saturday.
Without Matera a reshuffled back-row sees Leonardo Senatore returning to the starting line-up at no 8. Javier Ortega Desio moves to flanker and will play in combination with Marcos Kremer.
The injury to Matera coincides with Tomás Lezana’s return to full fitness. The Santiago del Estero flanker will feature among the replacements against the Blues. Juan Manuel Leguizamón was flown to New Zealand earlier this week to boost the squad.
