BUENOS AIRES: Santiago Phelan resigned as coach of the Argentinian rugby team with immediate effect yesterday ending a five-year spell in charge, the Argentinian Rugby Federation (UAR) announced.
The 39-year-old -- who guided the Pumas to the 2011 World Cup quarter-finals after succeeding Marcello Loffreda -- had been widely expected to step down when his contract came to an end in December.
Rafael Laria, the UAR spokesman, said that Phelan would not take charge of Argentina’s November test matches which sees them play England at Twickenham on November 9, Wales a week later at the Millennium Stadium and Italy in Rome on November 23.
Phelan, who is due to give a press conference today, has just come off a Four Nations tournament where the Pumas lost all six of their games to the southern hemisphere heavyweights New Zealand, South Africa and Australia in what was their second participation.
Phelan enjoyed success as a player, being capped 44 times at flanker and played all his club rugby for Club Athletico San Isidro.
Meanwhile, Cardiff Blues and Wales hooker Matthew Rees is to undergo testicular surgery, his club announced in Cardiff yesterday.
Rees, 32, will now have “an enforced spell away from rugby”, a Cardiff statement said.
Former Wales captain Rees, the current Blues skipper, has won 58 caps for his country and played in the 2009 British and Irish Lions Test series against South Africa.
Rees led Cardiff to their shock 19-15 European Cup win over reigning champions Toulon last weekend. REUTERS
