Pablo Matera: Los Pumas star opens up on Dane Coles outburst

Argentina superstar Pablo Matera opened up on the incident between him and All Blacks Dane Coles after their round four clash in the Rugby Championship.

The All Blacks won the clash convincingly 53-3, avenging their defeat to Los Pumas only a week before. At the end of the game, Matera refused to shake hands with Coles and pushed the hooker aside to thank a different All Black player.

Not proud of the incident

Speaking on the What A Lad podcast, Matera admitted he was not proud of his actions towards Coles as he failed to set a good example for children watching the game.

“Yeah that was not something I’m not proud about, to be honest,” Matera admitted. “Because I know there’s a lot of young kids or young players watched the game and it’s not a good example.

“I’m one of the guys that says ‘the things that happens on the field stays on the field, that’s how it has to be always.

“But that day was a bit different to be honest, that day was a bit different.

“I think he came in when there was like ten minutes left and he just continued picking on me, in every ruck, in every scrum, saying something.

“To be honest, it really hurt me, some strong things, I don’t want to repeat it but I couldn’t understand why, because they were winning by 40 points, he just came on, I didn’t understand why he was with that attitude.

“I know he’s obviously a great player but I know he’s a great guy as well because some of his teammates spoke to me after the game and came and say ‘oh he’s a good guy’ I said ‘I’m sure he’s a good guy, I’m sure’ I just couldn’t understand why he kept picking on me.”

Felt disrespected

Matera spent last season with Crusaders in their Super Rugby Pacific winning season, playing a big role for Scott Robertson’s men. However, the Argentine revealed that Coles told him he does not belong here, which Matera found disrespectful.

“He said things that I’m sensitive about, like me being in New Zealand, ‘you don’t belong here’ and I was like if you knew how much effort for me and my family to be able to come to New Zealand you wouldn’t be saying these things.

“But that’s it, it won’t happen again even though I didn’t want to give the time to him because I can take the disrespectful… I shouldn’t have done it because the game is bigger than any player.”

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