Argentina could face sanctions after their ill-tempered Nations Championship clash with England ended in disgraceful scenes in Santiago del Estero. A dramatic encounter saw seven yellow cards handed out by referee Angus Gardner as Steve Borthwick's side held on for a 31-24 victory. However, Argentina were controversially denied a draw in the dying seconds, sparking a chorus of boos and fury from the home side.
Disallowed Try Sparks Controversy
Pumas wing Bautista Delguy thought he had levelled the scores as he crossed in the corner at the end of a pulsating 22-phase attack, with Gardner awarding the try on-field. However, he decided to check with TMO Brett Cronan, who was adamant that Delguy had grounded the ball against the corner post and tryline at the same time, and the try should therefore be chalked off. Following a disagreement between the two officials, Gardner ultimately disallowed the try and blew the whistle for full-time as the stadium descended into fury.
Player Contact with Referee
As players ran over to protest the decision, fly-half Tomas Albornoz appeared to make contact with Gardner, with the visibly shocked referee shouting 'hey, hey, hey' and ordering him to step away. Under World Rugby Law 9.28, players must not make physical contact with match officials, and any incidents can be referred to the disciplinary process. Sanctions range from fines to significant suspensions, with a low-end entry point marked as six weeks and the most serious offences punishable by a ban of up to a year.
Crowd Misconduct
While Albornoz was warned, the angry response continued as players carried on with their protests. Members of Argentina's support staff were even forced to step in to keep them away from Gardner and the other officials at the full-time whistle. Videos circulating online show Gardner being targeted by the crowd as he made his way off the pitch, with an item thrown from the stands and narrowly missing the Australian referee's head. Some supporters were also heard allegedly shouting 'thief' at Gardner as, in the words of ITV commentator Nick Mullins, they voiced their 'undisguised fury' at the officials.
Contepomi Storms Out of Press Conference
After the match, Argentina boss Felipe Contepomi stormed out of his press conference, accusing England of showing 'a lack of respect' during the chaotic clash. Loud music and celebrations from the English dressing room could be heard as Contepomi conducted his post-match media duties, and while the former Pumas fly-half asked England officials present in the media room if the noise could be stopped, he became increasingly frustrated and abruptly left the press conference after just four minutes.
