Winning run extended by England despite red card

A day after World Rugby announced harsher penalties for unsafe play, Jones had no complaints about Daly’s red card for tackling Leonardo Senatore in the air, the number eight landing on his head and having to be taken off.

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.

Enrique Pieretto, the Argentina replacement, was also red carded for stamping on Joe Marler, who was in turn sin-binned. “Now we have a number who want to be part of a great team and who want to be great players”. The Northampton flanker spent the first nine months of this year unwanted by the England head coach Eddie Jones, not even among the top 45 players summoned for training in mid-summer.

So far, they’ve played two of their four games in the Autumn Internationals, both were victories – over South Africa and Fiji – but can England finish 2016 with an unbeaten record? “We want to make history”.

Jones was riled by the Australian media’s treatment of his team during their successful tour down under, labelling it “demeaning and disrespectful”.

The Wasps wing Daly was shown a red card for dangerously taking Argentina No8 Leonardo Senatore out in mid air and sending the forward crashing painfully down to the turf after just four minutes of the Test. It was an error of judgment.

To add to the intrigue, Wallabies coach Michael Cheika is keen to speak to World Rugby referees boss Alain Rolland after a penalty count of 13-3 against his team in the 27-24 loss to Ireland in Dublin, which ended dreams of a first Grand Slam of the home nations since 1984.

“Because of that we know that when they come to Twickenham, they will not be lacking in motivation”.

There was a yellow for Orlando, however, after the wing slapped the ball away with Wood poised for a walk-in try in the left corner.

Senatore landed head first and the concussed back row’s afternoon was over, as was Daly’s, after French referee Pascal Gauzere reached for the red card.

Argentina got back to 16-14 within a minute of the second half but some streetwise play enabled Farrell to stretch the lead before a Jonny May try secured the win.

That’s when things got tough for England.

England were reduced to 14 men after only five minutes but they still managed to overcome Los Pumas in a brutal game at Twickenham.

A penalty try extended their lead but tries from Facundo Isa and Santiago Cordero cut the gap to two points.

Neal Hatley, England’s scrum coach, believes the prospect of “one last hurrah” will infuse exhausted Pumas legs with renewed energy.

Settling on a half back pairing of Ben Youngs and George Ford with Owen Farrell as a second distributor and kicking option at inside centre has allowed the back line stability, a more creative and cohesive attacking platform, as well as a calmness in decision making. There was enough drama in that game to fill 10 episodes of Eastenders.