Day two of the Rugby World Cup brought its first major dispute. England’s Tom Curry was sent off just three minutes into the match with Argentina. A clash of heads between Curry and Juan Cruz Mallía earned a yellow card for Mallía. Mallía jumped to seize a ball in the air, landed, and the ball landed on Curry as he prepared to tackle. It looked like a risky, unintentional collision. After the contact, England did not press forward, and Argentina attacked, with the incident framed as a misfortune that left both players exposed. The referee explained that the momentum of the moment caused the collision rather than any deliberate action by Curry.
Unexplained shelter decision
What followed seemed disproportionate. The referee’s decision to review the incident in the dugout and then issue a red card to Curry within three minutes appeared puzzling to many. The rules allow red cards for dangerous play to protect players, yet the explanation offered did not satisfy many observers. Curry had not shown any intent to attack Mallía. He simply stood his ground as Mallía fell, and the red card felt surreal after the video review. The game was marked by a streak of bad luck as the ball carrier moved, collided with an opponent’s space, and the incident could not reasonably be seen as Curry volunteering to strike.
New technology in rugby, including the television match official and dugout reviews, plus a watchful eye on player safety, has sparked a shift in how the game is interpreted. The latest measure allows eight minutes of video review to gauge whether a hit endangered a player. If deemed dangerous, a red card or subsequent action can follow. Some critics argue this streamlines the physical, unpredictable nature of rugby, while others say it alters the essence of the sport. In short, this is not a radical reinvention of rugby, but a more vigilant approach to dangerous contact.
This match began with a dramatic three-minute moment that could shape the rest of the game. England, short-handed, faced heavy criticism and questions about their World Cup prospects. Coach Borthwick had warned that England might be eliminated before the tournament truly began. Yet the team showed pride, wearing the rose with purpose even when the odds looked stacked against them.
Funnel defense and Rugby 10
Borthwick implemented a funnel defense designed to force the Argentines to attack along specific lines, inviting their forwards into a battle to win the terrace of the midfield. Itoje, George, Genge, Cole, Lawes, Earl, and even a winger turned inside forward in Manu Tuilagi brought intensity to the field. Argentina’s De la Rosa team pressed toward England’s forward line, and the clash that followed blurred into close combat as England sought to control the tempo. George Ford, the lone classic fly-half in Borthwick’s setup, directed the game from the number ten position.
As England leaned into traditional rugby, the crowd responded with cheers, and the stadium felt like a living chorus. The English side employed a steady, methodical approach—front and foot work, organized phases, and careful territorial play. The Pumas countered with speed and physicality, relying on strong ball-handling and a willingness to endure hard contact. Both sides showcased a grind-and-go style that defined a test match between two proud rugby cultures.
At halftime the score read 9-3, and the atmosphere hinted at a moment of reckoning for Argentina, which appeared leaderless on the field and short on ideas from the bench. Cheika faced mounting pressure as England stabilized under Borthwick’s direction, focused on maintaining structure and momentum. England carried the expectation of a team defending a storied legacy, while Argentina sought to rewrite their own narrative in a tournament that tested every edge of their resilience.
The second half unfolded with Ford steering play and a high-stakes kicking game. Relegation stakes and disciplined kicking defined the patchwork of the tempo, while Jonny Wilkinson’s influence—felt in the way kicks found their marks—spilled into the game’s rhythm. The final score, 27-10, carried a note of caution for England as they navigated a landscape of rising expectations and the potential to secure a crucial win. For Argentina, the result pressed questions about consistency and endurance as they looked toward the remaining fixtures. The Pumas, a team capable of surprising even themselves, faced the task of regrouping after a difficult day.
Georgia made Australia work
Elsewhere on the day, Ireland demonstrated their ascendancy by taking an early lead after Oaks crossed for a first try, turning the scoreboard into a shimmering mirage. Romania suffered a heavy result at 82-8, while Italy enjoyed a comfortable win against Namibia, 52-8. Australia prevailed over Georgia with a 35-15 scoreline, Georgia briefly sparked by two tries before the Wallabies reclaimed control. Georgia, the youngest squad in the tournament, showed flashes of potential but also the inexperience that comes with such a young unit. The overall day underscored the volatility of the early rounds and the depth of competition across the pool stages.