England secured a 31-24 victory over Argentina in Santiago del Estero, concluding their summer fixtures on a positive note. The match saw a total of seven yellow cards, with England receiving four and Argentina three. This result places England third in the Northern Hemisphere Nations Championship standings.
The win follows England’s previous 73-8 triumph against Fiji, marking a two-match winning streak. However, concerns about the team’s discipline have been raised, with former scrum-half Matt Dawson describing it as “verging on comical.”
Discipline concerns and on-field action
England faced periods with reduced players, being down to 13 men twice in the second half, including in the final three minutes. The team’s four yellow cards in the second half were issued to Jack van Poortvliet for a deliberate knock-on, Alex Coles for a deliberate knock-on leading to a penalty try, Henry Pollock for offside, and Emmanuel Iyogun for offside, which the referee described as “cynical.”
Despite these disciplinary issues, England managed to hold on for the win. A late try by Bautista Delguy for Argentina in the 83rd minute was disallowed after the television match official ruled that Henry Slade’s tackle forced the wing into touch, denying Argentina a chance to level the score.
England’s head coach Steve Borthwick defended his team’s performance, highlighting their “incredible spirit” and the fight shown by the players. He specifically praised Henry Slade’s crucial tackle at the end of the match. Borthwick also dismissed critics, referring to them as a “negativity committee.”
The match was marked by several key moments, including two early tries for England. The first was set up by a cross-kick from Fin Smith to Tommy Freeman. The second saw Immanuel Feyi-Waboso make a strong run before offloading to Ben Earl for a score. Earl also secured another try following a dominant scrum.
Argentina’s coach, Felipe Contepomi, expressed his displeasure with England’s post-match celebrations, accusing them of showing a “lack of respect” due to the noise from their changing room. He reportedly cut short his press conference after asking for the noise to stop without success.
Player performances and team outlook
Immanuel Feyi-Waboso, who scored England’s fifth try and was named man of the match, acknowledged the team’s discipline as a significant area for improvement. He noted that finishing games with 13 players is not sustainable. England conceded 14 penalties against Argentina’s six, bringing their total to 34 conceded in three Nations Championship matches.
Former England wing Chris Ashton suggested that opposing teams would look to exploit England’s pattern of ill-discipline and “stupid errors.” England has accumulated 14 yellow cards and one red card in eight matches in 2026, avoiding a sin-binning only once against Fiji.
Despite the disciplinary challenges, England’s players, including Ollie Chessum, Ellis Genge, and Joe Heyes, showed resilience in the demanding match. The team’s performance, particularly in the face of being numerically disadvantaged, was a testament to their collective effort.
The Nations Championship continues to be a crucial period for England as they aim for further progress. The team will now prepare for November’s Nations Championship fixtures, holding third place in the table.
The match concluded with an eventful final series, including a disallowed Argentina try in the 83rd minute.
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Source: bbc.com
