England’s lack of 10 British Lions and Argentina’s decision to rest most of its first-choice internationals has given their test in Salta on Saturday the appearance of an even contest.
England has won half of its eight tests in Pumas country, but none since 2002.
That record would surely have been extended with a team including two uncapped players – flanker Matt Kvesic and winger Christian Wade – and three more newcomers in the reserves. Joe Marler was a late change at loosehead prop after Alex Corbisiero was called up by the Lions.
But the Pumas have given most of their big names time off after their European seasons to rest up for the Rugby Championship.
Felipe Contepomi, who retired from club rugby after Stade Francais’ season, will captain an Argentina side with only eight overseas-based starters.
Even then, France-based fullback Martin Bustos Moyano is the only uncapped player in the Pumas’ 23.
This is their first match since the 2011 Rugby World Cup, where England won 13-9 in Dunedin.
They play a second test in Buenos Aires next Saturday.
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Lineups:
Argentina: Martin Bustos Moyano, Matias Orlando, Gonzalo Tiesi, Felipe Contepomi (captain), Manuel Montero, Benjamin Urdapilleta, Martin Landajo; Tomas Leonardi, Benjamin Macome, Julio Farias Cabello, Mariano Galarza, Esteban Lozada, Maximiliano Bustos, Martin Garcia Veiga, Pablo Henn. Reserves: Mauricio Guidone, Guillermo Roan, Francisco Gomez Kodela, Tomas Vallejos, Tomas De La Vega, Nicolas Vergallo, Gabriel Ascarate, Belisario Agulla.
England: Mike Brown, Christian Wade, Jon Joseph, Billy Twelvetrees, Dave Strettle, Freddie Burns, Lee Dickson; Ben Morgan, Matt Kvesic, Tom Wood (captain), David Atwood, Joe Launchbury, David Wilson, Rob Webber, Joe Marler. Reserves: David Price, Henry Thomas, Paul Doran-Jones, Courtney Lawes, Billy Vunipola, Richard Wigglesworth, Kyle Eastmond, Ben Foden.