Jack van Poortvliet’s last-gasp try clinched England a 22-17 victory against Argentina in their second Test in San Juan and a 2-0 series win.

Replacement scrum-half Van Poortvliet went over in the final minute with the score locked at 17-17 following Guy Pepper’s brilliant blind-side break as England followed up last week’s 35-12 win in La Plata in style.

Each side scored two tries in the first half, with Argentina twice hitting back through centre Lucio Cinti and wing Ignacio Mendy after touchdowns from England pair Seb Atkinson and Freddie Steward.

In a fast and furious encounter at the Bicentenary Stadium, Santiago Carreras’ first-half penalty had edged Argentina into a 17-14 interval lead, with George Ford’s penalty in the second period hauling England level before Van Poortvliet’s thrilling late effort.

Atkinson gave England a flying start with his first try for his country in his second appearance, sent clear by debutant Luke Northmore’s offload after wing Tom Roebuck had brilliantly caught Ford’s cross-field kick.

Ford, making his 101st England appearance, added the extras and after Carreras’ excellent penalty pulled Argentina back to 7-3, the tourists were reduced to 14 men.

Ben Curry was sent to the sin-bin for his high tackle on Pablo Matera in the 20th minute and the Pumas soon made their extra man count.

Simon Benitez Cruz made a searing break after he had gathered a loose ball and the scrum-half fed Cinti, who raced over for a converted score.

But England’s response was brilliant. Roebuck was held up in the corner after a sweeping attack and after the visitors had spun the ball the other way, wing Will Muir fed Steward to sprint in for their second try.

The pace was unrelenting and Argentina hit back to lead 17-14 at the interval when Steward failed to gather Carreras’s bouncing kick by the posts and Mendy pounced to touch down.

England were rewarded for territorial advantage early in the second half when Ford’s converted penalty drew them level at 17-17.

Argentina lost number eight Matera to the sin bin just before the hour for killing the ball at a maul just yards from his try line.

Van Poortvliet thought he had made a decisive score when touching down in the corner, but Steward had fumbled the ball forward in the build-up.

Two tiring teams continued their ferocious battle, almost entirely in Argentina’s half, as the game headed into the final 10 minutes with the home side’s brave defending keeping the tourists at bay.

But heading into the final minute, replacement flanker Pepper stole clear from a maul and after charging down the blind side he turned inside to send the supporting Van Poortvliet over for the decisive score.

Records tumble as Ireland hit century against Portugal

Ireland ran in a record-breaking 16 tries in a one-sided 106-7 rout of Portugal in Lisbon to register their biggest Test win in the first encounter between the two nations.

Connacht pair Hugh Gavin and Shayne Bolton went over twice on their debuts and there was also a brace each for club team-mate and flanker Cian Prendergast and Leinster wing Tommy O’Brien.

With fly-half Jack Crowley landing 12 of his 15 conversion attempts – Ireland were also awarded a penalty try – the margin of victory eclipsed their previous biggest win when they scored 13 tries in an 83-3 defeat of the USA in 2000.

Ireland’s interim head coach Paul O’Connell was without 17 players, who are all on tour with the British & Irish Lions, but his new-look side ruthlessly exposed the chasm between them and their hosts.

O’Connell made six changes following last week’s 34-5 win against Georgia in Tbilisi and the Irish went over for four converted tries in the opening 14 minutes.

Centre Stuart McCloskey touched down in the corner after full-back Jimmy O’Brien’s break straight from the kick off and fellow centre Gavin stormed over for his first debut try in the ninth minute.

Tommy O’Brien finished off another scything break in the corner and opposite wing Bolton sprinted in after breaking clear for a try on his debut, with Crowley adding his fourth conversion.

Portugal full-back Nuno Guedes had a try disallowed for a forward pass before the Wolves were dealt another blow when captain Tomas Appleton was carried off on a stretcher due to an ankle injury.

Crowley sent Tommy O’Brien in for his second try and prop Tom Clarkson bulldozed through a tired tackle for Ireland’s sixth score in the 33rd minute.

Bolton out-sprinted Portugal’s defence to touch down Craig Casey’s kick ahead and the latter’s miss pass after hooker Gus McCarthy’s break sent Gavin over for his second score.

Crowley landed his seventh conversion to put Ireland 54-0 ahead at the interval.

Scrum-half Casey followed up Bolton’s break to score under the posts 90 seconds after the restart and Prendergast barged over for an unconverted score to extend Ireland’s lead to 66-0 in the 51st minute.

Portugal were given some respite when centre Vincent Pinto’s offload set up flanker Nicolas Martins for a converted score but Ireland hit straight back.

Replacements Calvin Nash and Cian Frawley touched down soon after stepping off the bench and Prendergast then notched his second try.

When debutant flanker Alex Kendellen went over for another converted score in the 73rd minute, Ireland moved 92-7 ahead.

Replacement scrum-half Ben Murphy’s try nudged Ireland nearer to triple figures and Portugal’s misery was complete when they conceded a penalty try in the final play of the game for bringing down a maul.