England team: Steve Borthwick selects three uncapped players while George Ford brings up 100 but Bath star overlooked again
England head coach Steve Borthwick and fly-half George Ford.
George Ford will earn his 100th cap for England when he starts in their upcoming Test against Argentina in La Plata on Saturday.
The fly-half has been named co-captain alongside Jamie George and will partner Ben Spencer at half-back for this weekend’s encounter.
“George has been a standout player for over a decade. Reaching 100 caps is a remarkable achievement, and it speaks volumes about both the professional and the person he is,” head coach Steve Borthwick said.
“Everyone in the squad is incredibly proud to share this moment with him.”
The uncapped duo
There are three uncapped players who are in line to make their Test debuts with two starting. Will Muir is one of them and he joins Freddie Steward and Tom Roebuck in a back three which will look to put Los Pumas under pressure aerially.
Centre Seb Atkinson is the other debutant in the run-on side after impressing for England in an uncapped game against a France XV last month.
Up front, Borthwick has gone with dual opensides as Ben Curry and Sam Underhill line up together at flanker. Tom Willis completes the loose trio in what is an exciting back-row.
However, that means there is no place for Bath standout Ted Hill, who does not even make the bench.
In the front five, the head coach has opted for Alex Coles and Charlie Ewels at lock, while Fin Baxter, George and Joe Heyes complete the XV.
England have gone for a 6-2 split on the bench with Theo Dan, Bevan Rodd, Asher Opoku-Fordjour, Chandler Cunningham-South, the uncapped Guy Pepper and Alex Dombrandt the forward replacements, while Jack van Poortvliet and Cadan Murley cover the backs.
“We’re excited to be playing in Argentina and to test ourselves against a strong, in-form side,” Borthwick added.
“Having beaten the British & Irish Lions in Dublin, they come into this series as favourites. They’re brilliantly led by Julián Montoya, and we know it will be a huge challenge.”
England team to face Argentina
England: 15 Freddie Steward, 14 Tom Roebuck, 13 Henry Slade, 12 Seb Atkinson, 11 Will Muir, 10 George Ford (cc), 9 Ben Spencer, 8 Tom Willis, 7 Sam Underhill, 6 Ben Curry, 5 Alex Coles, 4 Charlie Ewels, 3 Joe Heyes, 2 Jamie George (cc), 1 Fin Baxter
Replacements: 16 Theo Dan, 17 Bevan Rodd, 18 Asher Opoku-Fordjour, 19 Chandler Cunningham-South, 20 Guy Pepper, 21 Alex Dombrandt, 22 Jack van Poortvliet, 23 Cadan Murley
Date: Saturday, July 5
Venue: Estadio UNO Jorge Luis Hirschi, La Plata
Kick-off: 15:40 local (20:40 BST, 19:40 GMT)
Referee: Angus Gardner (Australia)
Assistant Referees: Luc Ramos (France), Gianluca Gnecchi (Italy)
TMO: Olly Hodges (Ireland)
FPRO: Mike Adamson (Scotland)
