Three Argentine rugby players have been suspended after they posted ""discriminatory and xenophobic comments" on social media between 2011 and 2013.
Captain Pablo Matera along with teammates Guido Petti and Santiago Socino has been suspended from their clash with the Wallabies on Saturday, after they were discovered to have posted "discriminatory and xenophobic comments" on social media between 2011-13.
Argentine captain Matera's tweets included criticism directed at black people as well as Bolivian and Paraguayan maids while Petti tweeted a derogatory statement about a maid pregnant with triplets
The actions follow apologies from all three players, who took to Instagram to express remorse over the posts leading to a mass outrage from the online community.
"Today I have to take charge of what I said 9 years ago," Matera posted on his Instagram account. "I had a tougher time. I am very ashamed. Apologies to all those who were offended by the atrocities I wrote. At that moment I did not imagine who I was going to become.
"I'm also sorry to my team and my family for the moment they are going through my actions and thanks to the people who love me for their support."
Petti also apologised saying he is 'very sorry and ashamed for what he ever said'.
Socino said "I want to apologise to those who may have offended with what I said at the time, and what I absolutely repudiate. I never realized what it could cause, and I do not seek to justify it with the immaturity with which I handled myself".