Pablo Matera Banned: Argentina's Rugby Star to Miss Italy Clash

Pablo Matera, Argentina's loose forward, will miss the November match against Italy after being banned for a red card offense during the Rugby Championship. The suspension, issued for a dangerous play, will end by November 10, allowing him to play against Ireland and France in subsequent games.

Argentina's loose forward and rugby stalwart, Pablo Matera, will be sidelined for the upcoming November match against Italy in Udine. This development follows a two-week ban, a consequence of his red card offense during the Rugby Championship's final match.

The incident, which transpired in the 56th minute, saw Matera ejected for a perilous play on South African prop Vincent Koch, contributing to Argentina's overwhelming 48-7 defeat against the Springboks in Nelspruit.

SANZAAR's disciplinary committee clarified in their statement that Matera's actions warranted a red card ruling, leading to his suspension until November 10, 2024. Despite this setback, Matera is expected to be available for key matches against Ireland in Dublin and France in Paris later in the month.

(With inputs from agencies.)