Argentina head coach Felipe Contepomi walked out of his post-match press conference in Santiago del Estero on Saturday, accusing England of a "lack of respect" after a chaotic 31-24 defeat that turned on a television match official's call in the 83rd minute.
Contepomi lasted barely four minutes in front of reporters. Audible celebrations were carrying from England's changing room next door, and the Argentina coach cut his answers short, repeated the phrase "lack of respect" and left the room without elaborating. He offered no further explanation, and none of his players were made available to expand on what he meant.
The flashpoint that decided the match came deep into overtime. Bautista Delguy appeared to have scored in the corner to set up Tomas Albornoz for a conversion that would have levelled the scores, but referee Angus Gardner went upstairs and the try was chalked off, the television match official ruling the ball had been grounded on the touchline as Henry Slade dragged the wing into touch.
Steve Borthwick singled out that intervention above everything else.
"It's almost unfair to pull out one example but Henry Slade's tackle at the end was incredible," the England head coach said.
England had made the finish far harder than it needed to be. Ahead 19-3 at the break through tries from Ben Earl, Tommy Freeman and Marcus Smith, they conceded a run of scores after the interval as their discipline collapsed. Jack van Poortvliet, Alex Coles, Henry Pollock and Emmanuel Iyogun were all sin-binned in the second half, leaving England down to 13 men for roughly nine minutes. Seven yellow cards were shown across the match in total, with Mateo Carreras, Joaquin Oviedo and Santiago Carreras also spending time off the field for Argentina.
Mateo Carreras and Justo Piccardo scored Argentina's tries, with a penalty try closing the gap further. Immanuel Feyi-Waboso's 69th-minute score proved the difference.
"It went right until the end, really dramatic," Feyi-Waboso said. "We managed to see out the victory in the end."
Borthwick was in no mood to dwell on the card count when it was raised with him.
"I don't think now is the time to be digging into that," he said. "This team has done really, really well."
He then turned on the press pack directly: "You're like the negativity committee so it's lovely coming and talking to you again."
A separate thread ran underneath Contepomi's complaint. Pollock, who has drawn scrutiny throughout the tour, made gestures towards Argentina supporters from the bench area. Borthwick defended him without hesitation.
"I think it was good natured and came from a good place," Borthwick said. "We want character in our game and Henry's full of character."
He went further, framing the exchange as two proud rugby nations needling each other rather than anything malicious.
"Argentina are a very proud nation, as we are. Our players are very proud of our football and rugby teams. So I think it was good natured."
That is the crux of the disagreement. What Borthwick reads as character and mutual pride, Contepomi read as contempt — and the Argentina coach was unwilling to sit in a room and litigate it.
The fixture arrived already loaded. Jamie George had warned in the build-up that England were prepared to walk off the pitch if racist abuse from the stands was repeated, a warning that gave the week an edge before a ball was kicked.
"I'm delighted for the players," Borthwick said. "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," he added. "Right now these players deserve a fantastic holiday, a good night out tonight and a good rest."
Argentina, denied by inches, are left with a grievance their coach declined to spell out.
