All Blacks coach Ian Foster humorously hosed down any perceived ill-feeling between Dane Coles and Pumas No 8 Pablo Matera after the latter refused to shake the former’s hand following Saturday night’s game in Hamilton.
Following New Zealand’s 53-3 win over Argentina at FMG Waikato Stadium, players from both teams lined-up for the traditional post-match handshake and to congratulate and commiserate with each other after the result.
However, it quickly became apparent Coles was not going to receive a fond farewell from Matera.
Jeremy Ward/Photosport
Pumas No 8 Pablo Matera gets in the thick of the action.
When Coles attempted to shake Matera’s hand he found himself reaching for thin air. Instead, Coles received a firm shove to the shoulder by the South American loose forward.
Coles didn’t appear too impressed by the lack of sportsmanship from Matera, but the pair quickly moved on from the exchange to keep shaking other players’ hands.
It’s unclear why the frustrated Matera was so annoyed with Coles. However, the pair were involved in a scuffle and verbal stoush in the 78th minute after Matera took umbrage to being cleaned out by Coles.
The veteran hooker, who took the field in the 62nd minute in what was his 83rd test, is renowned for his willingness to sledge opponents. And when quizzed after the game about what the beef between the pair was about, Foster said he was unaware of the post-game snub, but quipped he wasn’t exactly surprised by it.
“Didn’t shake Colesy’s hand? He wouldn’t be the first player.
“Everyone loves Colesy.”
Second five-eighth David Havili, who had Matera as a team-mate at the Crusaders this year, had also not seen the incident, providing an educated guess that it was just nationalism at play.
“I didn’t actually see what happened, but they’re both passionate men, love their country, so I’d say it’d be something about that.”
