Argentina fly-half Tomás Albornoz has been banned for four matches after intimidating referee Angus Gardner following Argentina's 31-24 Nations Championship defeat by England in Santiago del Estero on 18 July.

The incident erupted at the death. Argentina were denied a last-gasp try that would have left Albornoz, the man who kicks their goals, with a conversion attempt to draw the match. The decision followed a lengthy discussion between Gardner and the TMO (the television match official, who reviews footage to help the referee with key calls). Argentina believed they should have been awarded a penalty try — an automatic seven points given when foul play prevents a probable score — for high tackles by England's Noah Calouri and Henry Slade as winger Bautista Delguy lunged for the line. The Guardian

What happened next cost Albornoz dearly. The disciplinary committee found that he made contact with Gardner and approached the Australian official on two separate occasions, at one point needing to be held back by teammates. Albornoz accepted the misconduct allegations, including that his behaviour was intimidatory, at a disciplinary hearing. He denied, however, that his conduct was abusive, insulting, offensive or threatening — and both World Rugby and the committee agreed with that denial. The Guardian

World Rugby issued misconduct charges shortly after the match, which was played at Estadio Único. World Rugby Reuters then reported on 23 July that the fly-half faced possible sanction for confronting the referee after the final whistle. Reuters

The committee placed Albornoz's actions at the low-end entry point for contact with a match official, which carries a six-match suspension. They reduced it to four, crediting his early acceptance of the charge, his written apologies — both public and private — and a previously clean disciplinary record. The Guardian

The suspension is costly. Albornoz will miss Argentina's Test against South Africa on Saturday, a double header with Australia, and a club fixture for Toulon, his French side. For a Pumas squad still finding their feet in this year's Nations Championship, losing their fly-half (the team's primary playmaker and goal-kicker) across a pivotal stretch of the international calendar is a blow that stings well beyond a single frustrated moment. The Guardian

Gardner, for his part, has been appointed to referee the third Test of South Africa's forthcoming four-match series against New Zealand — a sign that the incident has had no bearing on his standing in the sport's officiating hierarchy. The Guardian