Depleted England clinical against the Pumas in La Plata
Argentina beat the Lions 28-24 in Dublin two weeks ago for the first time and left most of the team intact for its first test at home this year.
But Argentina's failure to score any points in a first half it dominated came back to bite it as England opened the new half by suddenly running the ball and scoring three tries in seven minutes.
The Pumas rallied with two tries to forwards Pablo Matera — his 110th appearance tying Agustin Creevy's national caps record — and Pedro Rubiolo.
But that's all England allowed in an impressive show of depth and ruthless efficiency.
It even finished with a flourish. Replacement wing Cadan Murley scored the fourth try and co-captain George Ford, who became the eighth man to play 100 England tests, capped off a surprisingly emphatic win with 15 points and a try assist.
'It's a great win for us,' Ford told broadcaster Sky Sports.
The Pumas arrived at halftime utterly frustrated. They were held up over the tryline three times and England flanker Sam Underhill was underneath two of them.
England lock Alex Coles and new midfielder Seb Atkinson were yellow-carded. For at least four minutes, Argentina was playing against 13 men.
But by the time Argentina was facing 15 again, England led 3-0 after a drop goal by Ford.
England absorbed everything and turned a 3-0 halftime lead into 22-0 by the 50th minute.
Sweeping backline moves that England kept under wraps in the first half sprouted two tries for wing Tom Roebuck and another for fullback Freddie Steward.
'The first five minutes of the second half we were very poor,' Pumas captain Julian Montoya told Sky Sports. 'We can't have those gaps where we concede very easy points.'
The Pumas closed the gap to 10 going into the fourth quarter but England pinned them down and finished on a high, giving it confidence of sweeping the two-test series in San Juan next weekend.
___
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
32 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Aggie Beever-Jones fulfilled childhood dream at Chelsea and now hopes to do it with England
Aggie Beever-Jones says she is always chasing the next big thing, someone should tell her she is it. The 21-year-old has gone from a die-hard Chelsea fan to leading the Blues' frontline to a domestic treble. Advertisement Now, she is embarking on her first major tournament with England, it doesn't get much bigger than that. READ MORE: Chelsea FIFA Club World Cup prize money to date ahead of Fluminense semi-final READ MORE: Bayern Munich issue statement after Jamal Musiala horror injury vs PSG in Club World Cup Born in blue Aggie Beever-Jones has always been surrounded by Chelsea. Both her parents come from Blues-supporting families, and she lived just a short drive from their Cobham training ground. Her granddad, a black cab driver, used to park his taxi near the ground and take Beever-Jones for her first taste of Stamford Bridge. Advertisement Back then, there was little inkling she would soon be scoring on its hallowed turf. Beever-Jones' first taste of football came aged six and she was in goal, a symptom of being the only girl playing with boys. But as soon as she tasted the freedom of the pitch, she was flying. "When you're a kid who has that much energy, you're just running round,' she told Sky Sports. 'But I've always been an attack-minded player, wanting to get on the ball and dribble a lot, and that's probably where it started when I was younger – dribbling and trying to score. 'I don't think six-year-old me would like defending as much as I do. I've got a picture of me in goal and then me playing outfield so it's funny to see that it's changed a bit." Advertisement Making it, eventually Soon her shot at wearing the blue of Chelsea came as she trialled for their academy aged eight. But at first it was a no, a crushing rejection that Beever-Jones believes has helped shape her. A year later, the Surrey native was selected and has been with Chelsea ever since, signing her first professional contract at 18. She said to Sky Sports: 'I called my mum and dad like, 'You won't believe it, it's actually happened. They're both Chelsea fans and were as ecstatic as I was. I was so shaky the whole journey home.' It would have been easy to be overawed at getting the chance to now play with her heroes, but Beever-Jones explains she is part of a family at Chelsea. Advertisement Sam Kerr has always had a piece of advice, and Niamh Charles has been there for her to lean on. 'I'm quite lucky being at Chelsea, so I have quite a few of the girls in the squad, but Niamh Charles is someone who has been great,' she said to The Mirror. 'We always joke around that she's a big sister to me and I'm her younger sister. She's always put an arm around me and been so lovely to me.' Serena Williams watched Chelsea beat Manchester United -Credit:Harriet Lander - Chelsea FC/Chelsea FC via Getty Images Beever-Jones has also drawn comparisons to Charles, who arrived at Chelsea from Liverpool as a forward before becoming a defender. And while there is no expectation for Beever-Jones to drop further back down the pitch, she matches Charles for versatility as she can be called on to play across the frontline. Advertisement Don't forget the name After two loan spells, one at Bristol City in WSL2 and the other with Everton in the WSL, she returned to Chelsea ahead of the 2023/4 season. She quickly earned the nickname 'super sub' for her impact off the bench. And when Emma Hayes conceded the league – which they nevertheless went on to win – after a 4-3 defeat to Liverpool, she did so with Beever-Jones by her side. Hayes handing the league to Manchester City is what will be most remembered from that moment, but the current US Women's National Team manager made sure to set Beever-Jones up for the future. 'Aggie Beever-Jones – don't forget that name,' Hayes said. 'She's going to be a legend not just for Chelsea, but for England.' Advertisement Weeks later, she received her first England call-up going on to make her first appearance for the Lionesses on 12 July, coming on in the 89th minute against the Republic of Ireland. It really was just the beginning. Pressure, what pressure? Watching Beever-Jones glide across the pitch, you'd be forgiven for thinking there is nothing that can faze her. And while physically she never seems to struggle, she has admitted to her rapid rise sometimes requiring a mental reset. Because, as she prepared for her second full season with Chelsea, she was soon thrust to the fore as Kerr, Catarina Macario, Mia Fishel, Lauren James and Mayra Ramirez all experienced lengthy spells on the sidelines. Chelsea Women celebrate Aggie Beever-Jones' goal against Leicester City -Credit:Alex Broadway Couple that with strong returns, and her own expectations suddenly became impossibly high. Advertisement Telling the Observer: 'At the start of the season, if I'm honest, I put a bit too much pressure on myself. 'After having the season I had, where people were chatting about me, I realised that sometimes you have to block out all the noise going on around you. 'I've been able to do that a lot better in the second half of the season. I feel a lot more confident and comfortable in my abilities. 'I've got such a great support network here at Chelsea and I think you can see that on the pitch.' She credits the arrival of manager Sonia Bompastor with giving her the freedom to try things, but also for removing any need for negativity when they did not always come off. Advertisement Breakthrough Her exploits at club soon turned into more chances with England as Beever-Jones scored her first international goal in April of this year. It was a full-circle moment of sorts as she did so at Ashton Gate, where she had spent one of her loan spells. Her next three goals came all at once, scoring only the second hat-trick by a Lioness at Wembley with three first-half goals against Portugal. Another full-circle moment as her Wembley debut came three years after she sat in the stands with her family to watch England lift the Euros trophy. Beever-Jones is set to be an impact sub for the Lionesses in her first major tournament with England -Credit:Photo by Naomi Baker - The FA/The FA via Getty Images) Now it is her turn, with the super sub role she perfected at Chelsea expected to be of use for the Lionesses. Advertisement It is something that when she sat at the Euros final, she hoped would happen, now it is time for her to live the dream. Speaking to Sky News: 'Of course [I thought I might be at the next Euros] but whether I thought it was an actual possibility is a different story. 'I am a firm believer that you get opportunities when you work hard, and over the past three years, I have worked hard at Chelsea, having Emma and Sonia. 'I feel extremely lucky to be here, and I am just trying to take it all in, but you can't really wipe the smile off my face.'
Newsweek
3 hours ago
- Newsweek
Nico Hülkenberg Claims Maiden Podium After 14-Year Drought
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Sauber driver Nico Hulkenberg captured his first career podium at the British Grand Prix — ending his 14-year drought. In a race that featured all the drama, Hulkenberg kept his composure and took home his first podium of a long career. It took the German driver 239 races to reach a podium step. It was the longest race stretch without a podium finish in Formula 1 history. Third placed Nico Hulkenberg of Germany and Stake F1 Team Kick Sauber on the podium with his trophy during the F1 Grand Prix of Great Britain at Silverstone Circuit on July 06, 2025 in Northampton,... Third placed Nico Hulkenberg of Germany and Stake F1 Team Kick Sauber on the podium with his trophy during the F1 Grand Prix of Great Britain at Silverstone Circuit on July 06, 2025 in Northampton, England. More Photo by"I always knew, you know, we have it in us, I have it in me somewhere," Hulkenberg said after the race. "I mean, what a race, coming from virtually last, doing it all over again from last weekend. It's pretty surreal, to be honest. "Not sure how it all happened, but obviously, crazy conditions, mixed conditions. It was a survival fight for a lot of the race. "I think we just were really on it, the right course, the right tyres, in the right moment, made no mistakes. And, yeah, quite incredible." Hulkenberg's third-place finish wasn't reflective of the car's pace, but rather a good deal of luck that tipped the scales. However it must be said that the driver himself drove a spectacular British campaign. There were several safety cars during the race, along with changing conditions with periods of intense rain followed by a drying track. Sauber's decision-makers made the right calls in terms of strategy, and Hulkenberg did a good job of preserving his intermediate tires as well. During the last round of pit stops, Hamilton had a slow stop, which gave Hulkenberg a gap to ease off the pressure. "Yeah, I mean today I was in denial 'till probably the last pit stop," he said. "And then when I heard we gapped Lewis quite a bit with the one extra lap, I was like, OK, you know, this is good. This is some breathing space. "But then, you know, he was catching quite quickly. So, yeah, the pressure was there. It was an intense race." Despite the pressure from Hamilton in the Ferrari, Hulkenberg managed to stay ahead and showcased impressive driving on the wet track. He has been one of the fastest drivers on track several times in his career, but due to a lack of fortune, he never managed to capture the coveted podium finish. After years of quality racing, Hulkenberg's British Grand Prix finish was years in the making. British Grand Prix Race Results Lando Norris - McLaren Oscar Piastri - McLaren Nico Hulkenberg - Sauber Lewis Hamilton - Ferrari Max Verstappen - Red Bull Pierre Gasly - Alpine Lance Stroll - Aston Martin Fernando Alonso - Aston Martin Alex Albon - Williams George Russell - Mercedes Oliver Bearman - Haas Carlos Sainz - Williams Esteban Ocon - Haas Charles Leclerc - Ferrari Yuki Tsunoda - Red Bull Kimi Antonelli - Mercedes - DNF Isack Hadjar - Racing Bulls - DNF Gabriel Bortoleto - Sauber - DNF Liam Lawson - Racing Bulls - DNF Franco Colapinto - Alpine - DNF For more F1 news, head on over to Newsweek Sports.
Newsweek
3 hours ago
- Newsweek
Alex Albon Reveals When Williams Will Be Winning Again
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Williams driver Alex Albon predicts when the team should end up fighting for race wins — a goal that is well within reach, according to the Thai-British driver. Since the arrival of team principal James Vowles, Williams has faced higher expectations and a raised profile. Vowles has bestowed belief in the team again — pushing the team to keep building and improving with the hope of becoming a top team. The Grove-based racing team went through years at the bottom of the table. They were a backmarker team that felt lucky to score a point during a race. Alexander Albon of Thailand and Williams looks on prior to the F1 Grand Prix of Great Britain at Silverstone Circuit on July 06, 2025 in Northampton, England. Alexander Albon of Thailand and Williams looks on prior to the F1 Grand Prix of Great Britain at Silverstone Circuit on July 06, 2025 in Northampton, the team is a regular point-scoring team and features a strong driver lineup of Albon and Carlos Sainz. Vowels' transformation of Williams is inspiring Albon to dream big for the future. "We are a very different team to a top team at the moment," Albon told the BBC. "We're still on a journey to get there, and we talk very openly about the journey and our weaknesses as a team. "I don't think we are, in all areas, at the maximum of our potential, and that's regarding the car performance. That's everything that goes on behind the scenes, the performance, the engineering. "I don't think next year we're going to be in a position to fight for wins, and I think it will be very rare to get a chance at podiums, but that's my mindset, that's our mindset. "2027 will be an interesting year, and then realistically, I know this sounds really far away, but 2028 is kind of where I expect us to be, up at the front end. I think that's realistic." Williams hopes to make a significant step in 2026 when the new engine regulations are introduced. Mercedes power units power the British team — giving the team hope for the coming seasons. Mercedes is known for producing amazing engines when a new formula is adopted. Williams also brought in massive changes to its technical staff, that are improving the team's aerodynamic capabilities. It has been decades since the team last fought for a world championship, and with Vowles at the helm, Albon believes it is only a matter of time before the team gets back to the top step. More F1 news: How Lewis Hamilton Made the F1 Movie Production More Expensive For more F1 news, head on over to Newsweek Sports.
