England secured a hard-fought 31-24 victory against Argentina in a dramatic Nations Championship match, decided by a controversial television match official (TMO) decision in the final moments.
With England down to 13 players and leading by seven points, Argentina wing Bautista Delguy appeared to score in the corner with the last play of the game. The on-field referee awarded the try, but the TMO, Brett Cronan, advised that the player was in touch. Despite the referee's initial view that there was insufficient clear evidence to overturn the decision, the try was ultimately chalked off. The final whistle blew with a relieved England defense having repelled the hosts' last-gasp push.
The match in Santiago del Estero was characterized by its physicality and indiscipline, with a total of seven yellow cards issued to both teams throughout the contest. England established a significant lead in the first half, with tries from Tommy Freeman and two from Ben Earl contributing to a 19-3 advantage at halftime. The home side narrowed the deficit in the second half and capitalized on England's periods with fewer players on the field due to sin-binning. However, England responded with further tries from Marcus Smith and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso. Late scores from both sides, including a try from Justo Piccardo for Argentina, made for a nervy finish as England contended with two players in the sin-bin.
This victory follows England's earlier win against Fiji and a tough defeat to world champion South Africa. These summer fixtures have been considered pivotal for head coach Steve Borthwick's tenure, particularly after a disappointing Six Nations performance. The team's results this summer are seen as building momentum for the upcoming Nations Championship games in November.