Santiago Phelan resigned as coach of the Argentine rugby team with immediate effect on Monday 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 ended in December.

UAR spokesman Rafael Laria told AFP that Phelan would not take charge of Argentina’s Test matches against 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 media conference on Tuesday, has just come off a Rugby Championship in which the Pumas lost all six of their games to New Zealand, South Africa and Australia in their second year in the four nation tournament.

He made his coaching debut in June 2008 against Scotland.

Phelan enjoyed success as a player, being capped 44 times at flanker and playing all his club rugby for Club Athletico San Isidro.