The tension was palpable at the Estadio Olímpico in Santiago del Estero, where England's ragged yet resilient squad clung on for a hard-fought 31-24 victory against Argentina. This morale-boosting win is just what Steve Borthwick's team needed after that World Cup semi-final heartbreak – but it wasn't without its drama. The English pack was left reeling after five of their players were sent to the sin bin, a cumulative nine minutes lost with 13 men on the field.
The stats are starting to raise eyebrows: 14 yellow cards and one red in just eight matches this year – it's a worrying trend that Borthwick will need to address pronto. But for now, the focus is on the silver lining: England's second successive win, secured thanks to Immanuel Feyi-Waboso's electrifying solo try in the 69th minute.
Feyi-Waboso was the star of the show, consistently harrying the Argentine defence and making a mockery of their efforts to contain him. His break-through try proved to be the decisive moment, giving England a crucial lead that they clung onto as the Pumas pushed hard in the dying minutes.
Argentina sensed an opportunity against the depleted English side and piled on the pressure, but Borthwick's men held firm – for now, at least. It's a welcome victory, but one that comes with a warning: England must sort out their disciplinary issues or risk being left behind in the World Cup qualifying campaign.
The coaching staff will be poring over the footage, identifying areas where the team can improve and trying to iron out the wrinkles in their game. One thing's for sure – they won't want this win to be a false dawn, a one-off fluke that doesn't translate into consistency. The challenge now is to build on this momentum and deliver more of the same against sterner opposition.