Tomas Lavanini of Argentina leaves the pitch after shown a red card. Photo / Getty
Tomas Lavanini of Argentina leaves the pitch after shown a red card. Photo / Getty
COMMENT
Mark the Pumas down as the great flop of this Rugby World Cup.
Tomas Lavanini's clear red card 18 minutes in ruined the contest against England to seal Argentina's fate.
We now know for sure the Pumas are a shadow of the team that reached the WorldCup semifinals four years ago.
So much more should have been expected after the Jaguares rode the wave all the way to the Super Rugby final. Never has domestic form proved so misleading.
Argentina's total capitulation in Japan has made a non-event of the "pool of death" with England and France now near assured of progression to the quarter-finals - barring a major Tongan upset - before even meeting in their final pool match next week.
Rumours of ructions and a divide within the Pumas – between those experienced figures who attended the last World Cup and management – will only now gather steam.
Axing Nicolas Sanchez, however out of form he may be, from the 23 to face England seems a major oversight after the fumbling performance of preferred first five-eighth Benjamin Urdapilleta, who kicked aimlessly and was twice exposed defending on the edge.
Pumas coach Mario Ledesma opted to leave inspirational former captain Agustin Creevy on the bench for a match where he became the most capped Argentinian in history.
Pior to the tournament, Ledesma bizarrely omitted supremely talented Toulon-based loose forward Facundo Isa from the World Cup squad.
Ledesma instead selected 16 World Cup rookies. Now that inexperience has failed to front, he faces inquisition on the home front.
Argentina have appeared mentally shot ever since they blew the chance to register their first victory over a second-string All Blacks team in Buenos Aires earlier this year.
History suggested they would rise for the World Cup, but inherent issues proved too much to overcome.
Their relentless travel schedule makes life difficult but that didn't prevent the Pumas reaching the final four of the last World Cup. Their pedigree in this arena extends to finishing third in 2007, and qualifying for the quarter-finals in 2011 and '99.
Here Lavanini, the often headless lock, sucked the life out of a heaving Tokyo Stadium with his moment of madness - the high hit on Owen Farrell, who missed his next three attempted shots at goal and should have been taken off for an immediate head injury assessment.
Owen Farrell of England is tackled high by Tomas Lavanini of Argentina. Photo / Getty
Lavanini exemplified Argentina's complete lack of discipline but he was not alone as the Pumas conceded 16 first half penalties, as close to rugby suicide as it gets.
And yet it was no great surprise. As they ran down the tunnel to start the match the Pumas looked more ready for a rave than a rugby match, such was the feverish scene of replacement players jumping up and down around them.
This forms a major part of their problem, their inability to keep a lid on passion and channel it in a positive way. Far too often emotions boil over.
The Pumas have the USA to play but their tournament is as good as over. As it stands, Japan will go down as their worst World Cup in 16 years, a sharp, disappointing regression for a country with a wealth of talent.
Tomas Lavanini of Argentina leaves the pitch after shown a red card. Photo / Getty
Conversely, How this tournament pans out for England is difficult to predict.
While the ghosts of 2015, when they failed to progress from their pool on home soil, have been banished assessing credentials in these circumstances, when they enjoyed a one-man advantage for 62 minutes and effectively had it all their own way, remains challenging.
The sea of white left well pleased and England will be lauded in the north but much tougher tests await.
England's kicking game, scrum and back three, fullback Elliot Daly and wing Jonny May in particular, are assets. Their John Mitchell-led line speed defence is hard to break down too.
On attack, though, even when England control possession and build phases, their threats look limited and predictable at times.
Their final pool match against France may tell us more about where they sit, though with the result of that game now downgraded somewhat, both sets of coaches may opt to rest and rotate leading players.
From here, England are on course to face Australia in the quarter-finals and should therefore reach the semis, where they could meet the All Blacks in what would be a mighty battle.
Eddie Jones is a wily customer. After watching his men labour to romps over Tonga and the USA and receive a huge leg up with Lavanini's early red card he, more than anyone, will keep this performance in perspective.
