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Pablo Matera has learned his fate. The veteran Pumas flanker was red carded playing for Argentina against South Africa in Nelspruit on September 28. He was sent off for a dangerous clear-out wherein he made direct shoulder to head contact on Vincent Koch. The delayed decision has now been revealed: Matera has been suspended from playing rugby for two weeks.
Matera’s suspension means he will miss Argentina’s next test match. Los Pumas face Italy in Udine on November 09. That match will be the second of two wherein he serves out his suspension. The first will be a club match in Japan.
The 31-year-old Matera will be able to play for Argentina against Ireland on November 15 in Dublin and against France on November 22 in Paris. He debuted against Chile in 2013 and presently has 107 test caps.
 THE BACK-ROW PICTURE |
Matera has had a busy 2024 with Argentina. He started against France in Mendoza and Buenos Aires, earning his 100th cap in the capital. He was a replacement against Uruguay in Punta del Este in Argentina’s third and final July test match.
He started in the Rugby Championship against New Zealand in Wellington and in Auckland, against Australia in La Plata and in Santa Fe and against South Africa in Santiago del Estero and he was a replacement in Nelspruit.
Felipe Contepomi will be without Matera for the Italian showdown in Udine. Meanwhile, there are doubts over Marcos Kremer and Juan Martín González. Kremer was injured in Santiago del Estero and may sit out November. González suffered a bicep injury playing for Saracens vs Harlequins this past weekend in the English Premiership.
Joaquín Moro and Juan Bautista Pedemonte made their test debuts for Los Pumas in July 2024. Moro scored two tries as a replacement against Uruguay while Pedemonte was a replacement in the first test match against France.
Rugby World Cup 2023 back-rowers Facundo Isa and Rodrigo Bruni have not played in 2024. The former is sitting out the year for Los Pumas. Joaquín Oviedo has benefited to be a regular in the back-row picture under Contepomi. Santiago Grondona made a successful return from injury to feature in the Rugby Championship, including starting the final match of the tournament.
