England v Argentina preview: Los Pumas to inflict more pain on the Red Rose in vital Pool D clash

Colin Newboult
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England's Jamie George and Julian Montoya of Argentina in action.

It is perhaps too early to be bandying around phrases such as ‘tournament-defining’ but, considering the sheer importance of this match, Saturday’s encounter in Marseille is not far off.

For the victor, it pretty much opens the path to top spot in Pool D. While Japan and Samoa will present their challenges, they will be set to go through the group unbeaten and reach the quarter-finals.

As for the loser, it could be a very different story. All will not be lost for either England or Argentina if they succumb this weekend, but major tournaments are often based on momentum and their confidence could take a decisive hit.

It is why so much is being put into this encounter. There will be no holding back or easing their way into the World Cup, as evidenced by the sides named, so plenty is on the line at the Stade Velodrome.

Los Pumas go into the clash in better shape than their opponents, given the trials and tribulations Steve Borthwick has endured since taking over as head coach from Eddie Jones.

Their preparation for the World Cup has been nothing short of disastrous, from the Owen Farrell saga to the injury to key wing Anthony Watson and a series of dreadful results in the build-up.

England’s home defeat to Fiji was arguably the worst in their history and it will be fascinating to see how they respond now that the tournament has come around.

Argentina will sense an opportunity to repeat their superb 30-29 victory from last year at the ‘home of rugby’. Head coach Michael Cheika has built nicely and they look a well-drilled unit under the former Wallabies boss, but that can also bring its own pressure.

They go into a match against their rivals in the strange position of being slight favourites. Many are fancying them to overturn the English and start their campaign with a win, but that can do funny things – to both teams in fact.

It has almost got to the point where the Red Rose have nothing to lose, while all of a sudden Argentina have the expectation on their shoulders. It therefore adds even more intrigue to an already fascinating contest in what will be a thrilling opening weekend of the 2023 World Cup.

Where the game will be won

England are not likely to stray very far from their game plan, especially when Argentina have struggled in the set-piece, so they will look to put pressure on their opponents in the scrum and lineout. The issue is that the Red Rose have not executed well enough in those areas to become an effective unit, while Los Pumas will probably think they have an easier task here than they did in the Rugby Championship.

You can very much understand why they would think that, given that they faced an imposing South Africa pack and an All Blacks front five that has improved significantly under Jason Ryan. Should that facet hold up for the Argentines, they have the weapons out wide to find holes in an English rearguard which continues to struggle.

In many ways, it is very similar to the England v Fiji match. Yes, Argentina’s fundamentals, in terms of set-piece and kicking game, are better than the Pacific Islanders, while they don’t have the same athleticism and skill set out wide, but the principle is the same.

By selecting Alex Mitchell, the Red Rose will look to move the ball slightly quicker, as they did against Fiji before the rain came, but they don’t appear to have much confidence in their attacking game. It is why getting that forward dominance is so crucial for them.

Last time they met

What they said

England tighthead prop Dan Cole is expecting a tough battle at the set-piece, despite Argentina’s issues in the scrum over recent years.

“It’s a force. Whether it’s the force of your (Martin) Scelzos, (Rodrigo) Ronceros and (Mario) Ledesmas….. But you still have Montoya, who I know brilliantly well,” Cole said.

“You look at their team in the Rugby Championship, they’re dangerous. If you have one scrummage where you are not fully focused they will do you damage and get stuck into you.

“They’re a dangerous team and they’ve grown their game in other areas. We know what’s coming up front.

“They love the physical contest. You speak to some of their front five – Tomas Lavanini when he was at Leicester and Montoya – and they relish the physical part of the game.

“Marcos Ayerza could talk for days about the scrum, both the physical and mental aspect of it.

“That’s the tradition of their game, we respect that and we look forward to playing them because that’s the game.”

Meanwhile, Argentina coach Felipe Contepomi is preparing for an England team that will be at the top of their game, even though they have struggled recently.

“The reality is that England is the big team in the group. It’s England! They say they are prepared for the World Cup and we expect that, a very tough game,” Contepomi said.

“We always analyse our opponents, of course, but it’s more about what we can do and that we are focused on everything we have been working on.

“We expect a very physical, very tough game. The first game of the World Cup is always special. We are focusing on what is ours.

“I repeat: we have to be prepared to be able to impose our game, and do what we want to do, and do it in the best possible way.”

Players to watch

Borthwick sprung a surprise by naming Alex Mitchell as his scrum-half for this encounter. The Northampton Saints man was not even in the original squad but he has catapulted up the pecking order following Jack van Poortvliet’s withdrawal due to injury. In truth, he was one of the better players against Fiji, with his service sharp and his box-kicking – usually Mitchell’s weakness – pretty effective, especially in the first half.

The fact that he plays suggests that the Red Rose are going to play slightly quicker, which will help individuals such as Ben Earl, who thrives in space. The makeshift number eight is not as powerful as Billy Vunipola but he is dynamic in contact thanks to his sheer athleticism, and they will hope to get him into the game in the opening stages.

Earl will partner Tom Curry in the back-row, who has missed the entirety of the World Cup warm-up matches. In fact, Curry has not played since the Premiership final in May, but he is a crucial cog in that pack. Like his number eight, the 25-year-old is incredibly quick around the field, but it will be interesting to see if he takes time to get up to the pace of the game. For England’s sake, the openside will need to be on form right from the first whistle.

If not then the Red Rose will be overwhelmed by the ferocity of the Argentines around the field. Marcos Kremer, back from a five-match suspension, has something to prove and he provides a nice foil to the brilliant Pablo Matera. The key for Kremer, as well as fellow back five partner Tomas Lavanini, will be to maintain their discipline as both have the penchant for doing something stupid.

To Lavanini’s credit, he has improved immensely in this area under Cheika and in 2023 has been a standout player for Los Pumas, but in the heat of a big match such as this, you worry about his ability to remain calm. In World Cup parlance, Argentina certainly don’t want him or Kremer to be doing ‘a Vahaamahina’.

Cheika also needs a big shift from his front-row, and specifically the props, Thomas Gallo and Francisco Gomez Kodela. Gallo will offer plenty around the field but England’s tighthead Cole will seek to put him under significant pressure at the set-piece. Kodela is slightly more technically sound but he will also have a challenge with Ellis Genge, who is an incredibly powerful unit.

If they can hold up the set-piece then there is some real talent behind the scrum, but it will obviously be with the decision-makers where the game will be won. Santiago Carreras, who was generally seen as a back three player until 2021, has improved immensely as a fly-half over the past 18 months.

Carreras is starting to take the right options and get his team in the right places on the field. If he can continue to fine-tune that facet of his game then his partnership with the abrasive and skilful centre Santiago Chocobares could be brilliant to watch. Chocobares impressed for Toulouse towards the end of last season and has shone for Los Pumas in his few Test appearances, so Manu Tuilagi and Joe Marchant will have their hands full in the midfield.

Main head-to-head

We have mentioned the importance of the set-piece on several occasions and the tone will be set by the hookers, Julian Montoya and Jamie George. Both are excellent players, who pride themselves on their core skills, but there is no doubt that George has a slight edge there.

He is regarded as a fine scrummager while his lineout darts are among the best in the game, and at the moment he is probably England’s most vital player. With Luke Cowan-Dickie out, the Red Rose lack experience at hooker, so the pressure is on for George to perform.

Montoya, however, doesn’t quite carry that same burden, with the excellent Agustin Creevy, who is in support on the bench, still going strong at the age of 38. The skipper will charge around the field, putting his body on the line in defence, stealing ball at the breakdown and carrying hard into the English defence. He is a true world-class player.

Prediction

People keep saying that they reckon ‘England have a big performance in them’, but that has often been uttered over the past 18 months and so far it has not transpired. Why is that going to happen now? The World Cup warm-ups don’t tell you everything, but they certainly give an idea as to where a team stands and, at the moment, the Red Rose are in a very dark place.

It will take a huge effort, as well as a significant change in mindset, if they are to achieve anything at this Rugby World Cup. They are fortunate with the draw, but their opponents first-up are a very fine side. Unlike England, Los Pumas appear to have confidence in their game plan and are heading in the right direction under their coach, who is a savvy operator. Although we think it will be tight, as these big World Cup matches tend to be, the extra confidence and belief the South Americans have will be enough to see them home. Argentina by five points.

Previous results

2022: Argentina won 30-29 in London
2019: England won 39-10 in Chofu
2017: England won 21-8 in London
2017: England won 35-25 in Santa Fe
2017: England won 38-34 in San Juan
2016: England won 27-14 in London
2013: England won 31-12 in London
2013: England won 51-26 in Buenos Aires
2013: England won 32-3 in Salta

The teams

England: 15 Freddie Steward, 14 Jonny May, 13 Joe Marchant, 12 Manu Tuilagi, 11 Elliot Daly, 10 George Ford, 9 Alex Mitchell, 8 Ben Earl, 7 Tom Curry, 6 Courtney Lawes (c), 5 Ollie Chessum, 4 Maro Itoje, 3 Dan Cole, 2 Jamie George, 1 Ellis Genge
Replacements: 16 Theo Dan, 17 Joe Marler, 18 Will Stuart, 19 George Martin, 20 Lewis Ludlam, 21 Danny Care, 22 Marcus Smith, 23 Ollie Lawrence

Argentina: 15 Juan Cruz Mallia, 14 Emiliano Boffelli, 13 Lucio Cinti, 12 Santiago Chocobares, 11 Mateo Carreras, 10 Santiago Carreras, 9 Gonzalo Bertranou, 8 Juan Martin Gonzalez, 7 Marcos Kremer, 6 Pablo Matera, 5 Tomas Lavanini, 4 Matias Alemanno, 3 Francisco Gomez Kodela, 2 Julian Montoya (c), 1 Thomas Gallo
Replacements: 16 Agustin Creevy, 17 Joel Sclavi, 18 Eduardo Bello, 19 Guido Petti, 20 Pedro Rubiolo, 21 Rodrigo Bruni, 22 Lautaro Bazan Velez, 23 Matias Moroni

Date: Saturday, September 9
Venue: Stade de Marseille
Kick-off: 21:00 local (20:00 BST, 19:00 GMT)
Referee: Mathieu Raynal (France)
Assistant Referees: Ben O’Keeffe (New Zealand), Pierre Brousset (France)
TMO: Marius Jonker (South Africa)

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Argentina