England’s chaotic Nations Championship fixture against Argentina ended in huge controversy as a last-gasp try for the Pumas was disallowed.
Clermont wing Bautista Delguy appeared to touch down in the right corner with the clock in the red during a dramatic finale to a remarkable second half at the Estadio Unico Madre de Ciudades in Santiago del Estero on Saturday night, despite the best defensive efforts of Noah Caluori and Henry Slade.
It was a score that would have set up a tough conversion attempt for Argentina fly-half Tomas Albornoz, which if successful would have seen a feisty game end in a 31-31 draw.
However, instead the furious Pumas ended up losing 31-24 after Delguy’s try was eventually ruled out following a lengthy review in which there was initial disagreement between referee Angus Gardner and Television Match Official (TMO) Brett Cronan.
Gardner awarded the try on the field and repeatedly voiced his view that he felt the ball had clearly been grounded after watching several replays, though Cronan insisted that it should be chalked off as it was grounded on the intersection of the sideline and the try line.
Gardner accepted that recommendation due to Cronan having access to high-definition replays and the try was belatedly disallowed, bringing an immediate end to a frantic second period that lasted for 63 minutes and featured a total of six yellow cards - four for England alone to Jack van Poortvliet, Alex Coles, Henry Pollock and debutant Emmanuel Iyogun as concerns over their ill-discipline ramped up.
Argentina were seething with the decision as they remonstrated angrily with the officials following the full-time whistle.
They clearly felt that Caluori had hit Delguy high as he attempted to put him into touch with a last-gasp tackle and prevent the try, which they would argue should have resulted in the awarding of a second penalty try and an automatic seven points that would have tied the match without any need for a tricky conversion.
As it transpired, Slade’s crucial intervention - which Argentina also felt was high - was just enough to save England from another demoralising finish against Argentina, three days after they lost 2-1 to their old rivals in heartbreaking fashion in the semi-finals of the football World Cup in Atlanta.
Argentina attempted to goad England by wearing match shirts modelled on those worn by their football team at the 1986 World Cup, when the late Diego Maradona scored both the ‘Hand of God’ and then arguably the most memorable goal in tournament history as they downed England in the quarter-finals en route to glory in Mexico.
