England held off a spirited Argentina fightback to win a Rugby World Cup bronze ultimate stuffed with depth and errors 26-23 for a small drop of comfort after the heartbreaking disappointment of their semifinal defeat final week.
The unerring boot of Owen Farrell proved the distinction on Friday as each side scored two tries, however the England captain landed 4 penalties and two conversions for a tally of 16 factors as Nicolas Sanchez missed a late kick for the Pumas that will have levelled the scores.
England flanker Sam Underhill, a late call-up to the squad and making his match debut, delivered a man-of-the-match efficiency, making 24 tackles. “It’s a bit surreal. It’s been an amazing few weeks,” he mentioned.
Friday’s conflict was, after all, the match neither group wished to be taking part in in, however each coaches mentioned this week they had been giving it the utmost respect, and the physicality and dedication from the beginning confirmed that the gamers felt the identical method.
Six weeks in the past England triumphed 27-10 when the groups met of their opening group sport, however this was an altogether nearer affair as, towards a barrage of boos from the largely French crowd, Farrell bought issues transferring with a third-minute penalty.
England then scored a wonderful strive as Farrell and Marcus Smith flicked fast passes for a charging Ben Earl to crash over. Farrell transformed and added one other penalty for a 13-0 lead.
Argentina’s assault was introduced up quick by too many dealing with errors, however they did finally string collectively a pointy transfer, albeit with what seemed a transparent ahead move that completed with scrumhalf Tomas Cubelli squeezing by means of for a strive.
Emiliano Boffelli’s conversion and an earlier penalty, and one other for Farrell, meant it was 16-10 on the break.
There was an explosive begin to the second half because the ever-elusive Santiago Carreras slipped by means of three England tackles to attain beneath the posts.
The lead lasted lower than two minutes, nevertheless, as hooker Theo Dan, who was the worst wrongdoer for the strive, bought speedy revenge by charging down Carreras and selecting as much as rating.
A Boffelli penalty closed the deficit to 3, and there was then a scruffy 15-minute spell as replacements poured on, kicks went astray and tackles had been missed.
England then earned a scrum penalty that Farrell slotted, just for alternative Sanchez to do the identical for the Pumas to arrange a tense finale.
Having been overhauled by South Africa so heartbreakingly three minutes from the top of their semifinal final week on the identical pitch, England discovered themselves going through an analogous situation as Argentina gained a penalty with 5 minutes left. Nonetheless, from far out on the left, Sanchez pulled it extensive.
This time England noticed out the ultimate minutes and, although the prize was not of remotely the identical magnitude, it nonetheless meant they completed the match with six wins from seven video games and bronze medals to point out for it.
“You could have to have the ability to play rugby a number of methods, and we’re growing that, and hopefully it should hold bettering,” mentioned Farrell after England made it 12 wins within the group’s final 13 conferences.
“We need to present this group combat for each minute of the sport. In a scrappy sport like that, we proved that once more.”
England coach Steve Borthwick added: “It wasn’t a sport of unbelievable top quality, however considered one of excessive rigidity. Immense credit score to Argentina for the way in which they performed and the way in which they’ve gone by means of this match. You possibly can see each groups have progressed by means of it, and whereas it wasn’t a traditional of free-flowing rugby, it was a good affair.”
Michael Cheika, whose future as Argentina coach stays unsure, was sad with the officiating.
“We didn’t get the rub of the inexperienced on many issues, however we nonetheless stayed within the sport,” he mentioned. “I’m disenchanted with the way in which the sport was refereed and the consistency. I really feel for the lads as they deserved greater than what they bought out of immediately.”
Cheika took over from Mario Ledesma in March 2022 and stories in Argentina declare former Pumas centre and present backs coach Felipe Contepomi will exchange Cheika after the World Cup.
“I haven’t even thought of it,” former Wallabies boss Cheika mentioned of his future with Los Pumas.
“I’ll go to Argentina later within the yr and we’ll have a speak about how issues went and what the long run holds.”
