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Wales Online
Wales Online
Sport
Katie Sands

Fans fume at Rugby World Cup hit as 'blatant shoulder charge' in Argentina v Tonga goes unpunished

Another day, another Rugby World Cup referee controversy.

Argentina vs Tonga has kicked off the tournament action today, ending with the Pumas beating the Pacific Islanders by 16 points.

It was a costly first half for Tonga that laid the platform for an Argentinian win, with Tonga really getting into the game after around 30 minutes before a second-half push-back.

But plenty of rugby fans are fuming with a first-half decision that could have changed the momentum of the game.

David Halaifonua got the ball on the wing and had an almost perfect chance to score his team's second try of the game, but Argentina's Tomas Lavanini charged and managed to put him into touch.

Lots of fans believed it was a shoulder charge, saying it should have been dealt with by dishing out a yellow card and awarding a penalty try to Tonga.

But the TMO did not think so, while referee Jaco Peyper incidcated the player had made an effort to wrap.

David Halaifonua of Tonga has his try in the corner disallowed against Argentina (Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)

Here's what fans had to say about the incident

It's the latest in a string of controversies surrounding referee decisions during games, with four players in total having now received three-match bans following incidents during games that did not result in red cards.

They are Australia's Reece Hodge, USA's John Quill for his hit on Owen Farrell , and Samoa's Rey Lee-Lo and Motu Matu’u.

The second half of Argentina v Tonga was a much tighter affair, with superb defence from Tonga's Sonatane Takulua preventing Tomas Cubelli from scrambling over his side's fifth try.

Tonga scored the only try of the second half, with Telusa Veainu going over again after great strength from Cooper Vuna. Takulua's conversion made it 28-12, and that was how it stayed.

It means Argentina claim a bonus point victory after bouncing back after their defeat to France in their opening Rugby World Cup game.

Argentina next play England next Saturday (October 5), while Tonga's next game comes against France next Sunday (October 6).

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