England emerged victorious against Argentina with a 31-24 scoreline in Santiago del Estero, concluding their Southern Hemisphere series. The match, part of the Nations Championship 2026, was marked by significant drama, including seven yellow cards and a disallowed try for Argentina in the final moments.
The fixture saw England secure their second consecutive bonus-point win, placing them third in the Nations Championship table. Argentina currently sits fourth in the Southern Hemisphere standings.
Dramatic Encounter in Santiago del Estero
The game was described as a chaotic affair, particularly in the second half, which extended for 63 minutes. England, led by coach Steve Borthwick, initially appeared to be cruising at half-time. However, their lead was challenged when they were reduced to 13 men on the field shortly after the break.
Despite disciplinary issues, which included four yellow cards for England in the second half alone, they managed to regain a numerical advantage at one point. The match culminated in a highly contentious decision in the final seconds that prevented a potential draw.
The controversy arose when Argentina’s Justo Piccardo scored a try in the 80th minute, reducing England’s lead to just seven points. Following a quick drop-goal conversion, the score stood at 24-31 with only 30 seconds remaining. England was once again playing with 13 men, setting the stage for a dramatic restart.
In the 83rd minute, Argentina’s Delguy appeared to ground the ball in the corner, despite the efforts of Marcus Smith, Caluori, and Slade. Referee Angus Gardner initially awarded the try on the field, believing it was clearly grounded. However, Television Match Official (TMO) Brett Cronan intervened, insisting the ball was grounded on the intersection of the sideline and try line, leading to the try being overturned. This decision was met with strong disagreement from the Argentina side.
Team Form and Player Updates
The match was the second encounter between Argentina and England this week, renewing a fierce rivalry. England’s journey to the Estadio Unico Madre de Ciudades in Santiago del Estero followed a recent football World Cup semi-final between the two nations, where England lost 2-1.
The Pumas entered the game looking to build on their recent form, having bounced back from an opening weekend loss to Scotland by defeating Wales. England, on the other hand, arrived with renewed confidence after a dominant 73-8 victory over Fiji in Liverpool, where Henry Pollock scored a hat-trick of 11 tries.
That win against Fiji ended a challenging five-game losing streak for England, which had included a difficult Six Nations campaign and a defeat in South Africa, increasing pressure on coach Borthwick. For this fixture, England experienced a late change as Asher Opoku-Fordjour was withdrawn from the bench due to concussion, with George Kloska coming into the squad.
During the match, there was a lengthy stoppage as Janse van Rensburg, a former South Africa youth international and Bristol Bears centre, was stretchered off. This occurred after he made a low tackle while flying out of the line. The incident added to the feisty nature of the contest, which also saw Genge and Delgado involved in an altercation, prompting warnings from referee Angus Gardner.
The game concluded with England securing a 31-24 victory over Argentina.
Source: bbc.com