England 29-30 Argentina: Pumas land famous win at Twickenham
England make a sobering start to their autumn campaign as Argentina pull off an audacious and deserved victory. …
England (16) 29 |
Tries: Cokanasiga, Van Poortvliet Pens: Farrrell (5) Cons: Farrell (2) |
Argentina (12) 30 |
Tries: Boffelli, Carreras Pens: Boffelli (6) Cons: Boffelli (2) |
England made a sobering start to their autumn campaign as Argentina shocked an 80,000-strong Twickenham crowd with an audacious and deserved victory.
England led 16-12 at half-time, but Emiliano Boffelli and Santiago Carreras crossed in quick succession to turn the game on its head.
Replacement Jack van Poortvliet scored to repair some of the damage, but Boffelli’s boot proved decisive in the closing stages.
It is only Argentina’s second away victory over England following on from a success in 2006.
It is the latest landmark win in a season of success for the Pumas, following on from a first-ever win away to New Zealand earlier in the year.
But Argentina still finished bottom of the southern hemisphere’s Rugby Championship and were expected to ease England into a month of fixtures that culminates with matches against the All Blacks and world champions South Africa.
England coach Eddie Jones glowered down from the big screen as his side’s increasingly desperate attempts to salvage victory came to nothing.
When replacement Henry Slade spilled forward in midfield to end an England move of momentum, Argentina’s bench shot to the sky in celebration.
The two teams next meet in September in their opening pool match of the Rugby World Cup.
More to follow.
England: Steward; Nowell, Tuilagi, Farrell (c), Cokanasiga; Smith, Youngs; Genge, Cowan-Dickie, Sinckler, Coles, Hill, Itoje, Curry, B Vunipola.
Replacements: Singleton, M Vunipola, Heyes, Ribbans, Simmonds, Willis, Van Poortvliet, Slade
Argentina: Mallia; M Carreras, Moroni, De la Fuente, Boffelli; S Carreras, Bertranou; Gallo, Montoya, Gomez Kodela, Alemanno, Lavanini, Gonzalez, Kremer, Matera.
Replacements: Ruiz, Tetaz Chaparro, Bello, Paulos, Isa, Morales, Talbornoz, Morlando.