Argentina fly-half Tomás Albornoz has been hit with misconduct charges for his actions at the full-time whistle after his side's Nations Championship defeat to England.
A heated clash between the two nations in Santiago del Estero saw seven yellow cards handed out over the course of 80 minutes, before the hosts had a last-gasp try ruled out. Bautista Delguy's try would have levelled the scores in the final seconds but it was ultimately disallowed by referee Angus Gardner, with England holding on for a 31-24 win.
As Gardner blew the final whistle, he was confronted by members of the Argentinian squad, with Albornoz running over to the Australian official and making physical contact with him. The referee was heard shouting 'hey, hey, hey' and ordering Albornoz to move away from him after contact was made.
Incident sparks controversy
Members of Argentina's support staff also reportedly had to keep other players away from Gardner, with the referee also targeted by the crowd as he walked off the pitch, with an item thrown at him from the stands.
Albornoz's actions in particular sparked controversy, with former England hooker Brian Moore calling on World Rugby to investigate the incident and issue "meaningful" sanctions if necessary.
World Rugby statement
Now, World Rugby has confirmed that, in line with its new Match Official Abuse Sanction Process, the Toulon back has been charged with misconduct and will now appear before a disciplinary committee.
A statement from the governing body read: "Tomás Albornoz has been issued with misconduct charges following Argentina’s Nations Championship match against England at Estadio Único Madre de Ciudades in Santiago del Estero on 18 July, 2026.
"In line with the remit of the Match Official Abuse Sanction Process, the charges relate to events following the final whistle. Albornoz was seen remonstrating with the match officials following the final whistle. The hearing details will be confirmed shortly."
The statement continued: "The Match Official Abuse Sanction Process was introduced to complement Regulation 18 and provide a clearer and more consistent framework for addressing public criticism of match officials, particularly where such comments may contribute to wider online abuse.
"Developed by a cross-game working group including competition owner, match official playing and coaching representation and championed by Union CEOs, the process reflects a unified commitment to support and protect match officials."
