Sam will cut the Gustard
overflowing with it. The Pumas have played an important role already in the development of this England side with the three wins against them in the past year all significant in their own way.
Last November, England had to play with 14 men for 75 minutes after the sending off of Elliot Daly but won 27-14. In June, they had to visit South America without 15 Lions but came away with a 2-0 series victory.
So although England have chosen to be without the rested Owen Farrell and Maro Itoje today – and are deprived of Billy Vunipola through injury – it is nothing they should not be able to overcome. England have a capable goal-kicking deputy in George Ford, who will take over as captain when Dylan Hartley is substituted, as well as plenty of other Lions who have been energised by their involvement in the epic recent series down under.
Jones said: “Anthony Watson has been with us for two weeks and he has changed. I see this just in his eyes.
“Before he was this young kid who was fast and people liked him but now he wants to be the best in the world.”
That mirrors England’s collective mantra ahead of the first match of the Old Mutual Wealth Series. Hartley said: “I want us to evolve and pull away. I want us to be so much better than we were in the summer. We’ve had two great years as maybe a bit of an unknown team. Two years out from a World Cup, people are obviously aware now that we’re an improved team and we need to kick on.”
England have made great strides over the past two seasons but as phase two of the 2019 World Cup mission is launched, this is no time to stand around and admire the view.
ENGLAND V ARGENTINA
M Brown A Watson J Joseph H Slade E Daly G Ford B Youngs M Vunipola D Hartley (capt) D Cole C Lawes G Kruis C Robshaw S Underhill N Hughes 14 13 12 11 10 9 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 J Tuculet R Moyano M Moroni SG Iglesias E Boffelli JM Hernandez M Landajo S Garcia Botta A Creevy (capt) N Tetaz Chaparro M Alemanno T Lavanini P Matera M Kremer T Lezana
England replacements:
J George, E Genge, H Williams, J Launchbury, S Simmonds, D Care, A Lozowski, S Rokoduguni
Argentina replacements:
J Montoya, L Noguera, E Pieretto, B Macome, L Senatore, G Bertranou, N Sanchez, S Cancelliere
Referee: M Van der Westhuizen (SA) K0: 3pm, Sky Sports