Ugly win for England

England were almost made to pay for an ill-disciplined and lethargic display before securing a 13-9 win over Argentina.

Martin Johnson had said in the build-up he wouldn't mind winning ugly as long as his side got the win - well this was the sort of game even a mother would struggle to love.

Too many penalties, a lack of ideas going forward and missed shots at goal meant England had struggled to get out of first gear - while a number of players just didn't perform.

However a moment of magic from Ben Youngs finally saw England snatch the victory. Jonny Wilkinson added just eight points from the boot after a woeful kicking display but it was enough... just.

Fortunately both Felipe Contepomi and Martin Rodriguez were equally wasteful to let England off the hook.

A scrappy first half saw both sides slug it out for supremacy. The Pumas enjoyed the better of the early stages and three points from Contepomi was scant reward for their efforts as they hammered away at the England line.

It could have been worse for Johnson's men, with Rodriguez (2) and Contepomi both missing efforts at goal in the opening 20 minutes.

Wilkinson managed one of his own to level after eight minutes before Rodriguez finally found his range.

Handful

England had their moments in attack with Ben Foden looking particularly lively - and the full-back came agonisingly close to releasing Delon Armitage only for the pass to full short. Armitage recovered well for England to win the penalty - but Wilkinson missed his shot at goal.

Manu Tuilagi also looked a handful with the limited ball he got but England's ill-discipline finally cost them when Dan Cole was binned on 34 minutes for hands in the ruck. Rodriguez couldn't take advantage, though, as his penalty went wide.

Argentina's best moment came with two minutes of the half left, as Mario Ledesma almost forced his way over in the corner only for the defence to recover.

The Pumas carried on from where they left off in the second half, with Foden having to make a crucial tackle on Rodriguez - while Richard Wrigglesworth denied Juan Jose Imhoff in the corner.

Despite the pressure Argentina managed just three points from the boot of Rodriguez.

However both sides were guilty of missing further shots at goal, with Wilkinson off-target three times and Rodriguez seeing two go wide.

England fans finally had something to cheer when replacement scrum-half Youngs, who looked impressive after coming on for Wrigglesworth, scooted through a gap to score - with the Leicester man utilising quick ball.

Wilkinson added the conversion but he missed yet another penalty in one of his worst kicking displays in an England shirt.

The Toulon man did finally get one over - making it three from eight - to give England some breathing space with five minutes left.

That seemed to give England a lift as they finished strongly, with Armitage denied in the corner.

However in one final flourish Argentina went for broke and Tuilagi appeared to take Imhoff off the ball as he chipped over the top, but referee Bryce Lawrence allowed play to continue and England survived.