Argentina Rugby

Australian Cheika was coach of the Wallabies between 2014 and 2019, but after initially taking on a consultant role, took over Argentina fulltime in March.

He masterminded a seven-try romp for his side against a depleted Wallabies, Argentina's biggest ever win over Australia and their largest in the Rugby Championship.

"I love these guys, they're my crew now," Cheika said. "I was up on the last try, cheering. But then I started crying because I know I probably shouldn't be doing this. It was a bit confusing for me, personally.

Governing body SANZAAR says the eight team members crossed the Queensland border into NSW yesterday without exemptions and were stopped trying to re-enter Queensland.

The travel was a direct breach of the present Queensland Government health orders and SANZAAR's Rugby Championship tournament biosecurity plan.

SANZAAR has informed Argentina Rugby that all members of this group are now ineligible to participate further in the tournament but Saturday's rugby championship test between Australia and Argentina on the Gold Coast will proceed.

The 27-year-old and team-mates Guido Petti and Santiago Socino were suspended for racist comments posted on social media between 2011 and 2013.

Matera was reinstated two days later at the beginning of December.

But the Argentine Rugby Union now says his captaincy is contingent on the completion of an educational programme.

The UAR had previously said suspension was "unnecessary", describing the social media posts as "imprudent and immature".

Matera was sensationally stripped of the captaincy and all three players suspended by the national union after social media posts described as “discriminatory and xenophobic” mysteriously resurfaced after they were initially shared between 2011 and 2013.

Creevy is a long-serving Pumas captain, having played a lot of his career alongside Matera who was recently hailed for overseeing the breakthrough win over the All Blacks during the Tri-Nations championship being held in Australia.

Boffelli is among the squad’s home-based players currently in quarantine in Sydney, where all members produced negative results in the latest round of COVID-19 tests conducted.

He says there is mounting excitement among the team, who are preparing under the eye of coach Mario Ledesma and their consultant, former Australia coach Michael Cheika, especially with the influx of their European-based players early next week.

Moyano is still recovering from a rib injury sustained in the Pumas' victory against Australia on the Gold Coast earlier this month.

Moyano was one of Argentina's standout performers in their 46-24 loss to the All Blacks in Nelson in Round three.

The former Argentina Sevens representative also scored a try in Argentina's 32-19 victory over South Africa in Mendoza last month.