England survived a chaotic, ill-tempered Nations Championship clash in Santiago del Estero to beat Argentina 31-24, after a last-gasp Pumas try was controversially ruled out by the television match official on the final play of the game.
Argentina wing Bautista Delguy appeared to have snatched a draw when he touched down in the corner with the clock in the red. Referee Angus Gardner awarded the try, but TMO Brett Cronan advised that Delguy had brushed the touchline in the build-up, and after a lengthy review the score was chalked off. Henry Slade's covering tackle proved decisive, and frustrated Argentina players surrounded Gardner at full-time as England celebrated a second successive Nations Championship win.
The drama capped a wild afternoon in northern Argentina that featured seven yellow cards, four of them shown to England in the second half. Steve Borthwick's side were reduced to 13 men on two separate occasions, yet still found a way to hold on in front of a passionate home crowd.
England had looked comfortable at the break, leading 19-3. Tommy Freeman opened the scoring and Ben Earl crossed twice, with Marcus Smith and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso adding tries after the interval. Finn Smith converted three of the five scores.
Argentina, wearing replicas of the national football team's famous 1986 World Cup shirt, responded through Santiago Carreras, a penalty try and a late Justo Piccardo score, with Tomas Albornoz adding the extras. England replacements Henry Pollock and Emmanuel Iyogun were both sent to the sin-bin during the hosts' fightback, setting up a nervy finish that ended with Delguy's disallowed score.
The result came three days after England's football team were beaten by Argentina in the World Cup semi-finals, and hands Borthwick's squad a statement win as the Nations Championship campaign continues.
Sources
- https://www.bbc.com/sport/rugby-union/articles/cn4ny04qnv0o
- https://www.skysports.com/rugby-union/news/12321/13564782/argentina-24-31-england-late-tmo-drama-as-13-man-england-seal-dramatic-nations-championship-win
