BUENOS AIRES, June 29, 2008 (AFP) - Argentina flyhalf Juan Martin Hernandez will be out of action for two months after a teammate accidentally trod on his hand in their defeat to Italy, press reported here on Sunday.

Stade Francais's Hernandez came off after about 20 minutes of their 13-12 defeat to Italy in Cordoba, Argentina, on Saturday and he was diagnosed with a fracture to his right hand which will be operated on on Wednesday.

'A teammate trod on my hand without meaning to during a move,' Hernandez said. 'I tried to play on but the pain just got worse during the next few minutes.

'I have had a couple of very difficult years with a very high training load and, if you count the 2007 World Cup and matches with Stade Francais, perhaps the rest will do me a great deal of good.'