England claim confidence boosting victory over Argentina

Few would have left the Stade Velodrome on Saturday having arrived at the conclusion they had just witnessed Rugby World Cup winners in the making.

England beat Argentina 27-10 and though it was a match that will do wonders for England’s confidence, it will leave boots elsewhere in the tournament without a quake.

Both teams were stale and sterile in attack, routinely ran into each other and rarely into space.

England at least had the excuse of being a man down for the bulk of the game but Argentina collectively looked man down.

They at times handled the ball as if it was freshly caught squid from the Malvinas. 

In the moments the teams did not run into each other England bossed  Argentina at the scrum and the ruck resulting in a slew of penalties that Ford who scored all his team’s points was only too grateful to convert.

In bountiful loads boot and bulldog spirit won the day for England as their resolute defence, superior game management and Ford’s ability to split the uprights earned them a crucial Pool D win. 

Ford also banged over three drop goals and at this rate he will be a threat to compatriot Jonny Wilkinson’s record for the most drops in a RWC tournament. 

Early on though, England’s petals appeared ready to be plucked but in losing a man it was the Red Roses’ thornier side that delivered the prick.

They appeared to be making little headway but it was the sending off of flank Tom Curry that spiced up this encounter.

England were galvanised by the realisation they had to get the job a man down done.

To say Argentina and England have boeuf, would be an understatement.

There was perhaps the expectation Argentina would make minced meat upfront after Curry’s departure but the opposite was true. 

It was only when Argentina took the direct route that they made headway.

When their forwards got momentum Argentina lacked patience, poise and precision to make it stick.

Kudos though to England for their resolve.

It took England’s fans less than a minute to launch into ‘Swing low Sweet Chariot’. 

Soon the sweet made way for the sour as boo’s rang around Marseille’s magnificent sporting cathedral.

Curry failed to dip into his tackle and was involved in a clash of heads.

There was big drama just as play was supposed to restart after a Ford penalty when news from the review bunker came through Referee Mathieu Raynal flashed a red card at Curry as his yellow was upgraded following the review.

Argentina immediately grew an arm and a leg as they eked out metres in the maul with a numerical advantage.

England however did well to repel Argentina’s advances. Twice they won crucial turnovers with their tryline an arm’s length away. 

In fact, it was England who grabbed the lead when with little going for them Ford launched a long range drop goal that split the uprights in the 27th minute.

Four minutes later from a little further back he repeated the feat and the Red Rose Army in the Velodrome roared their approval.

He was at it again, though from almost under the posts in the 37th minute.  

It was England who went into the break 12-3 to the good.

Apart from Curry’s red card, it were they who managed the bigger moments better.

Ford continued to mercilessly punish them in the second half.

Argentina scored the game’s only try at the death but by then Ford had purred England well out of sight.

Scorers

England (12) 27

Penalties: George Ford (6). Drop goals: Ford (3).

Argentina (3) 10

Try: Rodrigo Bruno. Conversion: Emiliano Boffelli. Penalty: Boffelli.