England beats Argentina 27-14 despite early sending-off

By Associated Press 27 November 2016, 12:00AM

LONDON (AP) — England survived playing with 14 men for 75 minutes to beat Argentina 27-14 at Twickenham on Saturday, extending its winning running run to 13 games and leaving the Pumas to finish the year with seven straight defeats.

Elliot Daly became the fifth England player to be sent off when the converted winger tackled Leonardo Senatore while the Argentina No. 8 was off his feet catching a high ball.

England was 3-0 ahead at the time and pushed out to 16-0 by the 29th minute through two more penalties and a penalty try, only for Argentina to score tries in the minutes either side of halftime — when the English also had Dan Cole in the sin-bin — and reduce the lead to 16-14.

The Pumas' discipline let them down in the second half as Farrell kicked two penalties to restore breathing space for England, which clinched a third victory of the autumn series when winger Jonny May scored a 68th-minute try.

"The boys really dug it out, the desire was there for all to see," England scrumhalf Ben Youngs said. "It was a great team effort."

To cap a disappointing afternoon for Argentina, replacement prop Enrique Pieretto was sent off in the 76th for a stamp near the face of England counterpart Joe Marler at a ruck. Marler was given a yellow card for his part in the incident, one of five players to go in the sin-bin in an ill-disciplined game.

Having already beaten South Africa and Fiji this month, England will look to complete an unbeaten 2016 by overcoming Australia on Dec. 3. Twelve of England's 13 straight wins have come under Eddie Jones since he took charge after the 2015 Rugby World Cup.

Daly, making his third international start, was the first England player to be red-carded since Lewis Moody against Samoa exactly 11 years ago.

The center-turned-winger knew he'd made a major error as soon as he challenged Senatore for an up-and-under, wrapping both arms round the No. 8's legs. Senatore landed on his shoulder/neck and, after the TMO reviewed the incident, the referee judged the tackle to have been "very dangerous" and showed Daly the red card.

Argentina didn't immediately play smart rugby against 14 men, conceding silly penalties that allowed Farrell to nudge England 9-0 ahead by the 24th. After 26 minutes, Argentina had given away eight penalties.

The Pumas made life even harder for themselves when Juan Martin Hernandez had a clearance charged down and then had the ball ripped from his grasp by Farrell. The ball was recycled by England, and Matias Orlando deliberately batted down Chris Robshaw's pass to Tom Wood, who would have had a walk-in for the try.

A penalty try was awarded, Orlando was yellow-carded, and Farrell converted for 16-0.

That's when things got tough for England. No. 8 Billy Vunipola hobbled off injured, before Argentina forced seven successive scrums next to England's line, one of which was collapsed by the hosts to force the referee to show prop Dan Cole a yellow card.

Now against 13 players, Argentina grabbed its first try when No. 8 Facundo Isa picked up from the base of that seventh scrum, shook off Ben Youngs and burrowed through Teimana Harrison, Vunipola's replacement, to ground.

When the Pumas reduced the deficit to 16-14 inside the first minute of the second half, it looked like they would go on to win. It was a classic counterattacking try that started 90 meters out, ending with Juan Pablo Estelles breaking down left before Cubello passed for Santiago Cordero to sprint clear.

Hernandez converted, and that proved to be the last points scored by the Pumas.

Farrell kicked penalties in the 52nd and 64th minutes. Then, with Argentina flanker Pablo Matera in the sin-bin, Tom Wood and Jonathan Joseph combined to send May over for a try in the left corner.

The game finished 14 vs. 13 after the respective cards shown to Pieretto and Marler.

By Associated Press 27 November 2016, 12:00AM
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