Argentina boss storms out of post-game briefing, accusing England of ‘lack of respect’, while Steve Borthwick rounds on ‘negativity committee’
England boss Steve Borthwick and, inset, his Argentina counterpart Felipe Contepomi
Saturday night’s feisty Argentina versus England Nations Championship match had a salty post-game sequel with Felipe Contepomi storming out of his media briefing and Steve Borthwick rounding on his critics.
Los Pumas boss Contepomi accused England of a lack of respect before he abruptly cut short his conference after just four minutes, while English boss Borthwick used his team’s dramatic 31-24 win to hit out at UK media covering the tour, describing them as the “negativity committee”.
The fallout followed a chaotic second half at Santiago del Estero where Argentina ate into England’s 19-3 interval lead. It culminated in an added-time controversy where Argentina were controversially denied a Bautista Delguy try in the corner.
A tackle from Henry Slade prevented the Argentinian from grounding infield for the score, the ball instead brushing the touchline, but the hosts had a case for a penalty try as it looked like Noah Caluori had high-tackled Delguy before he then came into contact with Slade.
“I don’t think now is the time to be digging into that…”
Having opened the July schedule with a heavy 45-21 defeat away to South Africa, under-fire England were understandably thrilled to have hung onto the victory, but their boisterous reaction eventually resulted in Contepomi quitting his media briefing due to the noisy music and cheering that could be heard from the adjacent English dressing room.
The Los Pumas coach, who became embroiled in a bust-up last November with Tom Curry when Argentina previously played England at Twickenham, had asked an English representative to go and make the noise stop so that he could carry out his media duties.
However, the English celebrations continued unbridled, leading to Contepomi soon making his exit because of what he claimed was the “lack of respect” that was being shown.
Contempomi’s brusque departure was the final part of a sticky encounter where seven players had been yellow carded by referee Angus Gardner during a match where Falkland Island banners were seen in the crowd, stoking up a prickly atmosphere that boiled over with Argentina getting denied their clock-in-the-red try to draw the match.
The decision meant that England have secured victory despite having four players carded – Jack van Poortvliet, Alex Coles, Henry Pollock and Emmanuel Iyogun – including two near the finish which left them defending with just 13 players in the last-gasp attack that ended with Delguy diving for the corner.
These latest cards increased England’s tally of yellows to 14 (and one red) in their last eight Test matches, but Borthwick took issue with the post-match questioning over his team’s indiscipline. “I don’t think now is the time to be digging into that,” he bridled.
“This team has done really, really well. It was a tough Test match, a fantastic Test match; we scored some wonderful tries and as ever you guys concentrate on the negativity. You’re like the negativity committee, so it’s lovely coming and talking to you again.”
Preferring to stick with his positive summation of a match that England won, Borthwick added: “I’m delighted for the players. They showed incredible spirit, led brilliantly by Jamie George. Matches between England and Argentina, whatever the sport, seem to end up being very tight late on and full of drama.
“It’s almost unfair to pull out one example, but Henry Slade’s tackle at the end was incredible. It shows the fight that’s in this group of players, as well as their togetherness and connection. Right now these players deserve a fantastic holiday, a good night out and a good rest.
“They’ve worked hard, and it’s been a season that’s been going a while. We all know about the number of minutes the English players play and these guys have stuck it right to the very end.”
Want more from Planet Rugby? Add us as a preferred source on Google to your favourites list for world-class coverage you can trust.
England winger Immanuel Feyi-Waboso said: “It was a tough-fought match. You saw right to the end. What did it go to, 83 minutes in the end, and then to finish like that, really dramatic and stuff. It was a hard-fought victory. Argentina, the passion from the fans, the atmosphere was amazing. Discipline wasn’t great from us, but we managed to see out the victory in the end.
“Definitely discipline is a huge thing,” added Feyi-Waboso, when asked what England now needed to improve ahead of their November matches in London versus Australia, Japan and New Zealand. “I don’t know how many cards there were in that game, but it was too many. Can’t be finishing games where we are down to 13 men. It makes it hard to win. Discipline definitely.”
