Argentina centre Martin Gaitan is resigned to missing the World Cup but will travel to the France soon to meet up with his family, having experienced heart problems after defeat to Wales in Cardiff on Saturday.
The Biarritz player complained of chest pains in the dressing room after the 27-20 loss at the Millennium Stadium, and was rushed to hospital where he underwent surgery to repair a partial tear in the coronary artery.
The 29-year-old insists he is recovering well and is expected to be discharged on Wednesday, but Pumas team doctor Mario Larrain believes it is too early to tell whether he will be able to resume his rugby career.
"I'm very fine and much calmer now. People here treated me very well," Gaitan told
newspaper. "When the guys (his team-mates) visited me, they were shocked, but I feel fine. I am very close to being discharged."
Pumas coach Marcelo Loffreda has not named a replacement for Gaitan as the centre is still officially in the World Cup squad, but the player himself seems resigned to being a spectator in France.
"I will stay in Wales until being discharged, then I will go to Biarritz by train to meet my family. If I can, I will go to watch the Pumas in the World Cup," he told
in a separate interview.
"After the Wales match I was in some pain, so I told that to the doctor, the ambulance came and the rest is a well-known story."
Larrain was not willing to speculate on the extent of Gaitan's condition, preferring to be cautious with the player's career at stake.
"It would be terrible for him," said Larrain. "We should not say anything about that because we cannot confirm anything yet.
"He knows he was in a very complicated situation, but he is willing to get over soon.
"It was a very strange problem: statistics say it's one case in one million people.
"We are as surprised as everybody, as medical tests during the training camp in Pensacola revealed no problems."
Gaitan replacement is likely to be Argentina-based Henri Senillosa or his Biarritz team-mate Marcelo Bosch.
Argentina now have just one specialist 13 in the shape of Gonzalo Tiesi, but the centre is a doubt for the start of the tournament as he is still recovering from a broken cheekbone.
Manuel Contepomi could now start alongside his brother Felipe in the tournament opener against France in Stade de France on September 7th. Tiesi is expected to be fit for the clash with Ireland on September 30th.
