Argentina 23-26 England: Steve Borthwick's disjointed charges hold on to claim Rugby World Cup bronze final win
Ben Earl, Theo Dan score tries, with skipper Owen Farrell adding 16 points, as England held off Argentina comeback to claim win in Rugby World Cup 2023 third-place playoff; Tomas Cubelli, Santiago Carreras score Argentina tries in loss; Nicolas Sanchez missed late penalty to level Test
By Michael Cantillon at Stade de France
Last Updated: 28/10/23 7:19am
A disjointed England performance proved just enough to secure third place at the 2023 Rugby World Cup, as they held on to beat Argentina 26-23 at the Stade de France.
Back-row Ben Earl and hooker Theo Dan scored tries for England in Paris, while skipper Owen Farrell added 16 points off the tee (two conversions, four penalties).
Pumas half-backs Tomas Cubelli and Santiago Carreras scored Argentina's tries as they responded from 13-0 and 16-3 behind to briefly lead at 17-16, only for Dan's score to come as a result of a massive Carreras error in being charged down by his own try-line immediately after.
Argentina 23-26 England - Score summary
Argentina - Tries: Cubelli (36), S Carreras (42). Cons: Boffelli (37, 43). Pens: Boffelli (24, 50), Sanchez (68).
England - Tries: Earl (8), Dan (44). Cons: Farrell (9, 45). Pens: Farrell (3, 13, 30, 65)
Though Argentina did get back within three points, they wouldn't lead again as replacement Nicolas Sanchez missed a penalty to bring the clash level late on.
England finish their World Cup campaign on a high, therefore, though the calibre of their sub-par performances in France - save for a terrific, if negative effort vs the Springboks in the semis - and the vagaries of the most lob-sided draw in history will not be lost on many.
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Farrell kicked England into the lead inside three minutes, after Tom Curry jackalled to win a breakdown penalty on the occasion of his 50th cap and after a tough week personally for the flanker, whose allegation of a racist comment against South Africa's Bongi Mbonambi was not taken forward by World Rugby.
A series of Argentina mistakes - a knock-on in their own half and two poor clearance kicks - then granted England more access five minutes later, from where Earl struck as he broke through sprinting on a brilliant line having been found by Marcus Smith.
Farrell converted for the full haul, and the England lead was soon out to 13 points when England's skipper punished Pumas scrum-half Cubelli for getting caught on the wrong side of a ruck, landing another penalty.
A penalty against England prop Will Stuart for going off feet handed Argentina their first spell of attack in the England 22, and after one chance was burned when Carreras' kick-pass on advantage was too long for Boffelli, a second also came to nothing as England drove really strongly against the head at a scrum called for by the Pumas, forcing a Facundo Isa knock-on at the base.
A Marcos Kremer-led counter-ruck finally saw Argentina onto the scoreboard in the 24th minute, as Boffelli struck over off the tee with England guilty of sealing at the ruck.
After a remarkable and unique lineout moment where Pumas flanker Juan Martin Gonzalez was thrown clean into the air to secure possession, those points were cancelled out just prior to the half-hour mark, as Farrell kicked off the tee following an offside penalty.
Carreras missed touch with Argentina's next penalty, causing more frustration for the South Americans, but within moments they were over for a stunning try, as an attack filled with offloading and carries at pace - full-back Juan Cruz Mallia and back-row Gonzalez the standouts - got the finish it deserved as Cubelli ducked and sniped to score after nine phases.
Boffelli converted to bring the Pumas within six points leading into the half-time break, and less than two minutes into the second period, Carreras stepped out of the tackle of Dan, handed off Ellis Genge and raced in past Smith under the posts for the lead after a Ben Youngs kick out on the full had handed Argentina the ascendency.
The lead lasted a matter of seconds, however, as Carreras went from hero to villain under pressure from England's Dan in the 22 after the restart, with the hooker grounding after charging down the fly-half's attempted clearance for a real soft try in reply.
Farrell's close range conversion restored England's six-point lead, but Boffelli nailed a long-range penalty in the 50th minute after a horribly skewed Henry Arundell kick saw England's forwards caught offside, to bring the Pumas within three.
A hooked Smith clearance kick gave Argentina another key opportunity, but they couldn't add further points through 17 phases of attack after Boffelli broke into the 22, as Earl won a crucial breakdown penalty.
Carreras missed touch again with a penalty from hand again to meekly spurn Argentina's next chance, but England proceeded to kick away possession each time they were well-placed in the attacks after.
A scrum penalty allowed Farrell to kick England's lead back out to six, with replacement tighthead Eduardo Bello penalised for going to his knee, despite Dan Cole doing the same on the opposite side of the set-piece.
Sanchez' introduction had seen Argentina go off the boil for a bit in attack, but the 35-year-old did narrow the deficit back to three within three minutes after an England offside by their own 22 - No 22 George Ford the guilty party.
With five minutes left, Sanchez had the chance to draw Argentina level off the tee when Earl failed to roll after Mateo Carreras had bounced his way past Smith down the left, but the veteran out-half hooked wide from five metres infield.
Argentina had one last chance to claim victory when wing Carreras produced a stirring break from deep in his own half, but their frantic attack in a decent scoring zone ultimately proved unfruitful, as the ball bobbled out of a ruck and England saw out the remaining few seconds, to the fury of Pumas head coach Michael Cheika.
Indeed, Argentina had 59 per cent possession and territory in the second half, attacking for two minutes longer ball-in-play than their opponents, but fell short due to a combination of their own mistakes, attacks which seemed to verge on desperation and England's willingness to stick in defensively.
Dan: We're a team which grinds out the result; Farrell: I'm proud we found way to win
England try-scorer Theo Dan, speaking to ITV:
"We made it hard for ourselves. We got off to a really good start, we would have hoped we would have pushed on from the first 20, but we know Argentina are a team which are never going to go away.
"Our ill-discipline let them back into the game, but we're a team that grinds out the result, and I'm proud to be part of this team and pleased to get the bronze.
"We're incredibly disappointed and heartbroken about what happened last weekend. The performance we put out was one we can be proud of and we said we didn't want that to be a one-off.
"We want to build, we want to be a new England team - one which doesn't go away and grinds out results. Today was a step forward to achieving that."
England captain Owen Farrell, speaking to ITV:
"I'm proud we found a way to win. I thought we started the game well, but it was a scrappy old game after that as everyone could see.
"But on the back of another six-day turnaround and a narrow loss last week, I thought it was a great effort tonight.
"You have to be able to play rugby a few different ways and we're developing that. We're getting better and hopefully this team keeps improving - I know it will.
"We've had a proper crack at this tournament and I'm proud of the effort the lads put in."
What's next?
The victory means England finish third at a Rugby World Cup for the first time in their history. They end their campaign having topped Pool D after wins over Argentina, Japan, Chile and Samoa, before beating Fiji 30-24 in the quarter-finals and losing 16-15 late on against South Africa in the semi-finals.
England are next in action at the 2024 Six Nations, when they travel to face Italy in Round 1 on Saturday February 3.
The defeat means Argentina finish fourth at a Rugby World Cup for the second time in their history, after the 2015 World Cup in England. They end their campaign having finished second in Pool D after defeat to England and victories over Samoa, Chile and Japan, before beating Wales 29-17 in the quarter-finals and losing 44-6 against New Zealand in the semi-finals.
