ENGLAND endured their darkest hour for six years and exactly 50 Tests as Argentina deservedly denied them an historic 2-0 series triumph in Buenos Aires on Saturday. Time finally caught up with Phil de Glanville's side, whose inexperience was brutally exposed by the powerful Pumas.
Argentina scored four tries, enjoyed massive territorial dominance and would have won even more emphatically had out-half Gonzalo Quesada not missed six shots at goal.
Late touchdowns for new caps Alex King and Danny Grewcock provided scant consolation because England knew that they had been painfully outclassed and physically overwhelmed.
It proved a shattering backs-to-the-wall defensive exercise that left England exhausted long before Argentina centre Eduardo Simone's 77th-minute score sealed victory. Australia were the last team to inflict similar damage, heating England 40-15 in 1991, as Argentina recorded only a second win since fixtures officially began between the countries 16 years ago.
They now leave for a daunting two-Test challenge in New Zealand, while England also go Down Under, replenished by their available Lions, to tackle the Wallabies on July 12th.
