Members of England’s rugby team may have deepened their rivalry with Argentina after posting videos from Brazil days after a heated Nations Championship match. England won 31-24, but the fallout continues.
England Players Celebrate in Rio
Days after the match, England back row Henry Pollock shared an Instagram video from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The clip shows the Christ the Redeemer statue and England players dancing in Brazil football shirts. Pollock captioned the post: "When in Rio."
The post may annoy Argentina, given the rivalry between Argentina and Brazil. Football has played a part in the burgeoning rugby rivalry.
Football Rivalry Spills Over
For the match in Argentina, England’s opponents wore a replica of the 1986 Argentina football team strip, a tournament where Diego Maradona’s 'Hand of God' goal beat England. The football rivalry continued this year with England losing 2-1 in the World Cup semi-final despite taking the lead.
England’s rugby win provided some revenge, but celebrations drew criticism from Argentina manager Felipe Contepomi, who accused England of a "lack of respect" before walking out of his post-match press conference.
Misconduct Charges for Argentina Player
World Rugby confirmed Argentina fly-half Tomas Albornoz has been charged with misconduct after making contact with the referee when arguing over a disallowed try. A World Rugby statement said: "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."
The statement added: "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."
