England secure victory in Santiago del Estero
England secured a 31-24 victory over Argentina in a chaotic Nations Championship clash in Santiago del Estero. The match saw England, at times reduced to 13 and briefly 12 men, withstand a late comeback attempt from the Pumas. The win provides some satisfaction for the English players after a long season.
The visitors were spurred on by a strong performance from wing Immanuel Feyi-Waboso, who scored a crucial try in the final quarter. Ben Earl also contributed significantly with two tries in the first half. Despite a flurry of cards in the second half, England managed to hold on for their second consecutive win.
Disciplinary challenges and a contentious finish
England’s disciplinary record was a point of concern, with Jack van Poortvliet, Alex Coles, Henry Pollock, and debutant Manny Iyogun all receiving yellow cards. This added to their recent tally of 14 yellow cards in their last 10 Tests. The Pumas also had three players sent to the sin-bin, but were unable to fully capitalise on their numerical advantage in the closing minutes.
The match concluded with a controversial moment as Bautista Delguy of Argentina appeared to score a potentially tying try in the final minute. However, after a protracted review involving referee Angus Gardner and TMO Brett Cronan, the try was disallowed due to simultaneous grounding on the line and touch in-goal. This decision allowed England to cling on for the victory.
The final quarter saw England regain some control after a period of disarray. Marcus Smith scored a try in the corner, followed by a “fabulous” try from Feyi-Waboso. A last-gasp tackle from Henry Slade on Delguy was also critical in preserving England’s lead.
Impact of the result
The victory moves England up to third in the tournament standings. For head coach Steve Borthwick and the Rugby Football Union, the win provides some much-needed breathing space after a challenging period. The team’s recent journey across three continents, including a defeat in Johannesburg and a significant win against Fiji in Liverpool, has been described as an education on multiple fronts.
The Pumas, who had made a slow start to the match, showed renewed vigour in the second half, scoring within four minutes of the restart through Matteo Carreras. Despite their efforts and the numerical advantage they held at various points, they could not overturn England’s lead. The final score was 31-24 in favour of England.
The match was described as a “wild and weird encounter” in Santiago del Estero, a city known as the “Mother of Cities” and a challenging venue for visiting teams, having previously seen South Africa and Scotland defeated there in recent years. The atmosphere was further enhanced by local dancers performing on the pitch at half-time, which seemed to reinvigorate the Pumas.
England’s performance, while not perfect, showcased many of the qualities they aim to be known for, particularly the contributions of players like Ellis Genge and Joe Heyes. The team will now look ahead to the resumption of the Nations Championship in November.
Read Also
- Belfort: Mauro Schmid wins Tour de France stage 13 as Tom Pidcock climbs general classification
- Spain and Argentina managers, Scaloni and De la Fuente, prepare for World Cup final
- Tuchel defends decisions after England's World Cup semi-final exit
- Spain's Mikel Merino prioritises being a good human before a good footballer
Source: theguardian.com
You may also like
Joel Kavanagh is a Sports News Writer at News-GB. He started on a Midlands sports desk. He focuses on rugby union, golf and boxing and is known for clear, deadline-driven reporting. He holds a degree in Journalism from De Montfort University and completed an NCTJ diploma. Now based in Leicester, he plays amateur rugby and follows the fight calendar. “In sport news, the first ten minutes decide everything.”