Nations Championship – round three<\/p>\n
Argentina (3) 24<\/p>\n
Tries: Carreras, penalty try, Piccardo Cons: Albornoz 2 Pen: Albornoz<\/p>\n
England (19) 31<\/p>\n
Tries: Freeman, Earl 2, M Smith, Feyi-Waboso Cons: F Smith 3<\/p>\n
England held on to beat Argentina in a chaotic match in the Nations Championship after the hosts had a last-gasp try controversially ruled out in Santiago del Estero.<\/p>\n
With 13-man England leading 31-24, Argentina wing Bautista Delguy scored in the corner with the final play – leaving a difficult conversion to secure a draw. <\/p>\n
Referee Angus Gardner had awarded the try on field, but television match official Brett Cronan insisted Delguy was in touch.<\/p>\n
While Gardner repeatedly suggested there was no clear evidence to overturn his original on-field call, the try was eventually chalked off.<\/p>\n
Henry Slade’s covering tackle on Delguy proved to be the decisive moment, with Gardner surrounded by frustrated Argentina players at full-time.<\/p>\n
The late officiating decision in the visitors’ favour came just three days after England’s football team suffered a heart-breaking defeat by Argentina in the World Cup semi-finals<\/a>.<\/p>\n A combined seven yellow cards were shown in Saturday’s action-packed thriller, with England receiving four in the second half and twice being down to 13 players.<\/p>\n Steve Borthwick’s side looked set for back-to-back Nations Championship wins after Tommy Freeman’s try and two scores from Ben Earl gave them a 16-point half-time lead.<\/p>\n