England celebrate, but it very nearly went against them
Three matches into the 2011 Rugby World Cup and the underdogs have come out with a point to prove in each game. It was no different here, with the Argentinians, so quickly written off by the English and the media at large, doing serious damage to the English psyche.
A physical game from the offset, with both teams playing the grunt work rugby they’re so comfortable with, the game was to be one of stops, starts and penalties. And penalties. And penalties. You have been warned.
The Pumas were to dominate the first half of the match. An Argentinian line out four minutes in was the first real opportunity, but alas it was not to be thanks to English offside, and Sheridan’s digging in the rook. Out-half Felipe Contepomi slotted one through the sticks for a penalty at 7min.
Another penalty against England, making it 3 in two minutes, set the tone for the match, with indiscipline running amuck and referee Bryce Lawrence earning the ire of the captains for their sides’ obvious infringements.
A high tackle from Argentinian Rodrigo Roncero gave England their levelling opportunity at last, with Jonny Wilkinson forcing a difficult kick through the posts 11min in.
True to form, the English were penalised at the breakdown and Comteponi’s opportunity to take the lead was lost by their third missed kick from distance. But Martin Rodrigez at last gave the Argentinians the lead they deserved with yet another penalty.
A break by Foden 23 minutes in was the only real glimpse of what the 2003 world champions could do in the first half; a big tackle from Contempomi on Armitage served to save conceding a try. The number 10 however, knocked himself out of the game in the process. Argentina had lost their captain and number one kicker. Subsitute Marcelli replaced him and a big reshuffling of the Argentinian side ensued.
A collapsed scrum gave the English yet another opportunity to draw level, but to the shock of the entire stadium, the mercurial Wilkinson missed a gifted penalty.
A repeated infringement in the break down had Lawrence reaching for yellow after one too many penalties from England and sent the wonderfully bearded prop Dan Cole to the sin bin.
Yet another Argentinian player, Stade Francais centre Gonzalo Tiesi, was put out of action with a serious knee injury after coming into contact with Courtney Lawes in the air just before halftime.
Not one minute into the second half and another penalty was awarded, this time against the Pumas. Undeterred, the Argentinians attacked the English defence, creating opportunities and exploiting the holes. Penalty number a zillion against England, and Rodriguez stretched his team’s lead to 3-9.
Wilkinson’s second miss of the game soon after served as an omen for the rest of the match. Martin Johnson’s go-to game plan of forwards pushing through setting a platform for the veteran’s kicking was crumbling. Had Rodriguez converted all of the penalties gifted to the Pumas, they would have had a double digit lead; Contepomi’s boot was sorely missed.
ANOTHER penalty, this time to England and Johnny missed his third kick in a row. Jaws could be heard dropping the world over.
The penalties kept coming against the English in the breakdown, Nick Easter and Cole being just two of the many main offenders. Argentinian control of the match continued, and a more able side would have converted the kicks and exploited the try opportunities better. The injuries inflicted in the first half were clearly taking their toll.
The game, already broken, turned scrappy.
Johnny Wilkinson missed yet another kick in the 64th minute – four in a row at this point. There are no words to describe this kind of implosion.
Then, out of nothing, an English try emerged from a ruck, fast ball and replacement scrum half Ben Youngs, cutting through a wide gap in the center. Wilkinson at last converted a kick into points, albeit a sitter right in front of the posts. It hardly restored confidence. A lead at last, 10-9. The introduction of Youngs proved to injuect the momentum needed.
The English game was at last awake. It only took 68 minutes.
A penalty following the scrum, missed again by Wilkinson, had pigs flying worldwide, and showed that there are still issues in the English game. The Argentinian scrum came under attack, another penalty taken by a concerned looking Johnny, was slotted at last between the posts, stretching the lead out 13-9 in the 75th minute.
Another try opportunity had Armitage pushed just into touch within millimetres of the try line. A line break from deep by Bosch had Argentina battling back in the last minute within their own half, forcing their way into the other half and overcoming England’s scramble defense. A line out on the 80th minute to Argentina, turned into a ruck and surprise surprise, an English penalty and full time.
