England beat Argentina 31-24 in chaotic Nations Championship clash despite four yellow cards
England overcame four yellow cards and a late Argentina surge to win 31-24 in Santiago del Estero, with Ben Earl scoring twice and the TMO denying the hosts a dramatic finish.
Match action
England raced into a 19-3 half-time lead with two tries inside the opening 23 minutes, both created by precise kicking from Fin Smith. Ben Earl crossed twice, and the visitors looked in complete control at the Estadio Unico Madre de Ciudades. Argentina, flat and error-prone early on, could not contain England's structured attack.
The second half turned chaotic. Argentina rallied and England's discipline unravelled. Jack van Poortvliet, Alex Coles, Henry Pollock and debutant Manny Iyogun all spent time in the sin-bin, leaving England with 13 men at one stage. The Pumas had three players yellow-carded themselves but could not exploit the numerical advantage in the closing minutes.
Final quarter drama
Marcus Smith and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso scored tries in the final quarter to keep England ahead. Argentina pressed for a late score that would have set up a tense finish, but the TMO intervened to deny the hosts. England held on to win 31-24, ending their July tour on a high.
| First half | England score two tries inside 23 minutes, lead 19-3 at half-time |
|---|---|
| Second half | Argentina rally, England receive four yellow cards, reduced to 13 men |
| Final quarter | Marcus Smith and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso score tries to extend England's lead |
| Full-time | TMO denies Argentina a late score, England win 31-24 |
Football backdrop
Argentina's rugby side added an extra layer of symbolism by wearing a replica of the country's 1986 Fifa World Cup kit, the dark blue jersey made famous by Diego Maradona's 'Hand of God' goal against England. The move came days after Argentina's football team beat England 2-1 in the World Cup and players held up a banner reading 'Las Malvinas son Argentinas', referencing the Falklands sovereignty dispute.
Memories that span generations and remain alive in the collective memory. Today that legacy dresses up again.
Fifa is considering punishment for the football team's banner. England, aware of the potential for disruption, switched hotels in Buenos Aires to avoid being caught up in celebrations should Argentina's footballers beat Spain in the World Cup final.
Tour reflections
England's 26,000-mile July trek across three continents produced mixed results. A heavy defeat in Johannesburg was followed by a 73-8 thrashing of Fiji in Liverpool. The win in Santiago del Estero, a city known as the 'Mother of Cities' and previously a stumbling block for South Africa and Scotland, gives Steve Borthwick's side a measure of satisfaction before the off-season.
Discipline concern
England's yellow-card count now stands at 14 in their last 10 Tests, a trend that will worry the coaching staff. Borthwick's team showed resilience to win with a depleted side, but the repeated infringements kept Argentina in a contest that had looked beyond them at half-time.