England and Argentina are set to renew their sporting rivalry just days after a dramatic World Cup semi-final that sparked controversy and fallout. The two nations will meet in rugby's Nations Championship on Saturday, with Argentina holding home advantage in Santiago del Estero.
World Cup Semi-Final Fallout
On Wednesday, England's football team was eliminated from the World Cup by Argentina in Atlanta. Anthony Gordon put England ahead shortly before the hour mark, but Enzo Fernandez equalized from range and Lautaro Martinez scored a stoppage-time winner to secure Argentina's place in the final. The match was marred by controversy, including a clash between Argentina substitute Valentin Barco and England's Jude Bellingham, who appeared to slap the full-back. There were also calls to ban Argentine players who displayed a banner relating to the Falkland Islands.
Rugby Revenge Opportunity
England's rugby team, led by coach Steve Borthwick, now has a chance for revenge against the Pumas. England have dominated previous meetings, winning 24 of 30 encounters, including all five World Cup clashes. However, Argentina are chasing a third straight victory after beating Scotland and Wales at home.
England have one win and one defeat in the Nations Championship so far, losing to South Africa in Johannesburg before thumping Fiji on home soil. Lock Alex Coles, a football fan, watched the midweek defeat but opted against wearing his England shirt in public. "I think, bearing in mind where we are and who we’re playing with, we’ve been pretty sensible about not wearing our English shirts around too much," Coles said. "We had them all out in Liverpool and got a bit of a better reception than we might do here."
Schedule and Context
England's football team will face France in the third-place play-off on Saturday at 10pm UK time, while the rugby match kicks off a couple of hours earlier. The Nations Championship match is part of a series that sees Argentina playing in front of their own fans, having previously hosted Scotland in Cordoba and Wales in San Juan.
The rivalry between the two nations extends beyond sport, with political tensions often surfacing. The Falkland Islands banner incident has added to the intensity, but on the rugby pitch, England hold a clear historical advantage.
