England concluded their summer series with a 31-24 victory over Argentina in Santiago del Estero, a match marked by significant disciplinary issues. The contest, which saw eight tries and seven yellow cards, ended with a controversial disallowed try for Argentina in the 83rd minute. This win places England in third position in the Northern Hemisphere Nations Championship standings.
The match was a chaotic affair, particularly in the second half, where England received four yellow cards. Former scrum-half Matt Dawson described England’s discipline as “verging on comical” following the game. At various points, England were reduced to 13 players, including in the final three minutes as Argentina pressed for a draw. Argentina also had three players sin-binned during the encounter.
The decisive moment came when Bautista Delguy’s 83rd-minute try was disallowed after a lengthy review by the television match official (TMO), Brett Cronan. The TMO ruled that Henry Slade’s last-gasp tackle had forced the Argentina wing into touch, despite referee Angus Gardner’s initial on-field decision of a try. This controversial call prevented Argentina from potentially levelling the score.
Discipline concerns for England
England’s disciplinary record has been a recurring issue throughout 2026. They have accumulated 14 yellow cards and one red card across eight matches this year, avoiding a sin-binning only once, against Fiji. This pattern of ill-discipline was also a factor in their four-match losing streak that led to a fifth-placed finish in the Six Nations, bringing head coach Steve Borthwick’s position under scrutiny.
In the match against Argentina, England’s four yellow cards in the second half were issued to:
- Jack van Poortvliet for a deliberate knock-on (51 minutes)
- Alex Coles for a deliberate knock-on, which resulted in a penalty try for Argentina (55 minutes)
- Henry Pollock for offside, following multiple infringements (74 minutes)
- Emmanuel Iyogun for offside, described as “cynical” by referee Angus Gardner (77 minutes)
Additionally, Tommy Freeman and Guy Pepper were sin-binned against South Africa in their Nations Championship opener, and Henry Arundell was sent off against Scotland in the 2026 Six Nations after receiving two yellow cards in the first half of that match.
Beyond the yellow cards, England conceded 14 penalties against Argentina’s six, bringing their total to 34 penalties conceded in three Nations Championship matches. Former England wing Chris Ashton suggested that opposing teams would look to exploit this weakness, stating that England tends to give away penalties and make errors that can lead to losing games. Immanuel Feyi-Waboso, who scored England’s fifth try and delivered a notable performance, acknowledged discipline as a significant area for improvement for the team.
Post-match reactions and future outlook
Despite the disciplinary challenges, Steve Borthwick praised his team’s “incredible spirit” and their ability to secure the win. He highlighted Henry Slade’s crucial tackle at the end as an example of the fight and togetherness within the squad. Borthwick also defended his team against questions regarding their discipline, suggesting that the focus should be on the positive aspects of their performance.
Conversely, Argentina head coach Felipe Contepomi expressed his dissatisfaction, accusing England of showing a “lack of respect.” Contepomi took exception to the noise emanating from England’s changing room and eventually walked out of his post-match news conference when the noise persisted.
The victory against Argentina followed England’s 73-8 win over Fiji, ending a run of five defeats and marking a two-match winning streak with back-to-back bonus point wins. Argentina currently sits fourth in the Southern Hemisphere standings. England will now prepare for November’s Nations Championship fixtures, aiming to build on this progress while addressing their ongoing disciplinary issues.
The match was described as chaotic, with the second half alone lasting 63 minutes due to numerous stoppages and incidents. Ben Earl scored a first-half brace, and Tommy Freeman also contributed an early try for England. Marcus Smith and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso added further tries. For Argentina, Mateo Carreras and Justo Piccardo scored, alongside a penalty try. The game also saw a lengthy stoppage when Benhard Janse van Rensburg was stretchered off.
The final score in Santiago del Estero was Argentina 24-31 England.
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Source: bbc.co.uk