England won 31-24 in a chaotic Nations Championship match in Argentina on Saturday after a last-gasp try by the hosts was controversially ruled out by the television match official.
With England down to 13 men and leading 31-24, Argentina wing Bautista Delguy scored in the corner with the final play of the game. A successful conversion would have tied the match. Referee Angus Gardner awarded the try on the field, but television match official Brett Cronan insisted Delguy was in touch. While Gardner repeatedly suggested there was no clear evidence to overturn his original call, the try was chalked off. Henry Slade's covering tackle on Delguy proved to be the decisive moment.
Argentina players surrounded Gardner at full-time in frustration.
The result came just three days after England's football team suffered a defeat by Argentina in the World Cup semi-finals, making the result carry extra weight for both nations.
England had looked comfortable for much of the match. Tommy Freeman's try and two scores from Ben Earl gave Steve Borthwick's side a 16-point lead at half-time. Argentina came back, taking advantage of two England yellow cards in the second half. England were twice reduced to 13 men as seven yellow cards were shown across the afternoon.
Marcus Smith scored a try in the corner while Argentina number eight Joaquin Oviedo was in the sin-bin. Santiago Carreras then joined Oviedo on the sidelines. An individual try from Immanuel Feyi-Waboso silenced the home crowd. But England replacements Henry Pollock and Emmanuel Iyogun were then also sent to the sin-bin, setting up the nervy finish.
Justo Piccardo scored a late try, and Argentina's subsequent break had 13-man England scrambling before Noah Caluori and Slade combined to deny Delguy in the final play.
According to BBC Sport, England have now received 14 yellow cards and one red card across their past eight matches. Discipline had been one area the Rugby Football Union specifically wanted to see improvement in after backing Borthwick through England's worst Six Nations performance since the tournament expanded from the Five Nations in 2000.
Wins over Fiji and Argentina have put England in a solid position heading into November's Nations Championship matches.
