It’s a bright and early start for those eagerly readying themselves to find out just how well Eddie Jones’ England cope with their first real Test match of the 2019 Rugby World Cup.
Mario Ledesma’s Argentinian outfit offer up a first ‘tier one’ opponent for the nation that crashed out of their own World Cup at the group-stage hurdle four years ago.
Thus far, England have cruised with relative ease past a physical Tongan side and an ever-improving USA team to pick up the maximum possible 10 points in two bonus-point victories over the last fortnight. In Argentina, however, Jones ‘men face a side that have both experience in World Cup playoff action – having finished fourth overall in 2015’ s tournament – and the ferocious glint in their eyes that can only come when faced with the prospect of a pool-stage exit after losing 23 – 21 to France in a spirited round one affair.
In hopes of turning their tournament around and felling one of the favorites to lift the Webb Ellis trophy this November, Argentina have taken the curious decision to drop their nation’s record point scorer and incumbent fly-half Nicolas Sanchez from the matchday 23 entirely, preferring 33 – year- old, 14 – cap Castres standoff Ben Urdapilleta in the crucial 10 jersey. Los Pumas have also dropped former captain, the nation’s record appearance holder and starting hooker Augustin Creevy, preferring Julian Montoya in the front row.
England, meanwhile, have showed what is potentially their full hand in this first real challenge, sending out the dual playmaking axis of George Ford and Owen Farrell inside the bulldozing, Samoan-born Manu Tuilagi at outside center, while also seeing the dual openside ‘Kamikaze Kids’ pairing of Tom Curry and Sam Underhill either side of barnstorming No 8 Billy Vunipola.
Jones’ side are also boosted by the return to fitness of usual starting loosehead prop Mako Vunipola, brother of Billy, and the Exeter Chiefs pairing of center Henry Slade and bouncing utility back Jack Nowell.
Lose today, and England face the risk of consecutive pool-stage exits should they then get beaten by the woefully – or wonderfully depending on your perspective – French this time next week.
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