ENGLAND 27 10 ARGENTINA
Saturday 9 September Stade de Marseille. Attendance: 63,118
In this match George Ford kicked 27 points as England overcame the early loss of Tom Curry. Curry’s red card was the first of numerous baffling decisions at RWC 2023 concerning head contact. Agustín Creevy became the fourth Puma to play in four World Cups.
Magic moment Ford offered a kicking masterclass and his first two drop-goals, monster efforts on 26 and 30 minutes, were reminiscent of Jannie de Beer’s performance against England in 1999.
Winners’ podium Captain Courtney Lawes: “What won us that game was effort and intent, especially in defence. Fordy had an unbelievable game and he led us around the park.”
And the losers… Coach Michael Cheika: “Pretty much everything that could go wrong did go wrong. We let play get too stop and start. But the world isn’t over.”
ENGLAND F Steward; J May, J Marchant, M Tuilagi (O Lawrence 69), E Daly; G Ford (M Smith 75), A Mitchell (D Care 59); E Genge (J Marler 54), J George (T Dan 72), D Cole (W Stuart 50), M Itoje, O Chessum (G Martin 59), C Lawes (capt, L Ludlam 66), T Curry, B Earl.
Curry 3
Pens Ford 6 Drop-goals Ford 3
ARGENTINA J Cruz Mallìa (M Moroni 3-11); E Boffelli, L Cinto, S Chocobares, M Carreras (Moroni 63); S Carreras, G Bertranou (L Bazan Velez 69); T Gallo (E Bello 63), J Montoya (capt, A Creevy 69), F Gomes Kodela (J Sclavi 50, Gallo 67), M Alemanno (G Petti ht), T Lavanini (P Rubiolo 50), P Matera, M Kremer, J Martin Gonzalez (R Bruni 59).
S Carreras 10
Try Bruni 79 Con Boffelli Pen Boffelli
Ref Mathieu Raynal (France). Star Man George Ford
JAPAN 42 12 CHILE
Sunday 10 September Stade de Toulouse.
