Test Match Rugby: Pumas Ready to Pounce the Lions

06.06.2009
Argentina v England in Manchester


Preview
Argentina have prepared a very experienced side to take on the English in test matches in Manchester and then in the Argentinean city of Salta.

England suffered defeat at the hands of the Barbarains last weekend. Coach Martin Johnson has made changes and with enough old hands still available England will need to improve on that display and some more if they are going to defeat Argentina.

Argentina returns to the ground where they last played England and caused an upset by winning 25-18. Martin Johnson will be very wary of the Pumas. That last match at Twickenham caused the demise of an England coach. Will history repeat itself?



Last Five Encounters
11.11.2006 Argentina 25-18 at Twickenham
15.11.2000 England 19-0 at Twickenham
07.06.1997 Argentina 33-13 in Buenos Aires
31.05.1997 England 46-20 in Buenos Aires
14.12.1996 England 20-18 at Twickenham

GWC Rugby Rankings: World Table-England 4th, Argentina 9th

Prediction: Argentina by 7 points.


Teams


Argentina
15 Horacio Agulla (Brive, France) Aged 24, 17 Tests
14 Federico Martín Aramburu (Dax, France) 29, 19
13 Gonzalo Tiesi (Harlequins, England) 24, 18
12 Miguel Avramovic (Montauban, France) 27, 11
11 Gonzalo Camacho (B.A.C.R.C.) ?, New Cap
10 Juan Martín Hernández (Stade Francais, France) 27, 30
9 Nicolás Vergallo (Dax, France) 25, 14
8 Juan Martín Fernández Lobbe, Capt. (Sale Sharks, England) 27, 28
7 Juan Manuel Leguizamon (Stade Francais, France) 25, 29
6 Álvaro Galindo (Racing Metro, France) 27, 7
5 Patricio Albacete (Stade Toulousian, France) 27, 29
4 Manuel Carizza (Biarritz Olympique, France) 24, 10
3 Juan Pablo Orlandi (Rovigo, Italy) 26, 3
2 Alberto Vernet Basualdo (Stade Toulousian, France) 26, 10
1 Rodrigo Roncero (Stade Francais, France) 32, 32
Replacements
16 Eusebio Guiñazu (Sporting Union Agen, France) 27, 13
17 Marcos Ayerza (Leicester Tigers, England) 26, 21
18 Esteban Lozada (Toulon, France) 27, 13
19 Alejandro Abadie(Capitolina, Italy) 24, 1
20 Alfredo Lalanne (San Isidro Club) 26, 1
21 Santiago Fernández (Hindú Club) 23, 2
22 Lucas González Amorosino (Pucará) ?, 1
Head Coach: Santiago Phelan

Injured: Felipe Contepomi (Toulon)

England
15 Delon Armitage (London Irish) Age 24, 9 tests
14 Mark Cueto (Sale Sharks) 28, 29
13 Daniel Hipkiss (Leicester Tigers) 26, 7
12 Thomas May (Newcastle Falcons) 29, New Cap
11 Matthew Banahan (Bath Rugby) 22, New Cap
10 Andrew Goode (CA Brive, France) 28, 14
9 Daniel Care (Harlequins) 21, 9
8 Nicholas Easter (Harlequins) 33, 25
7 Steffon Armitage (London Irish) 23, 1
6 James Haskell (London Wasps) 23, 17
5 Louis Deacon (Leicester Tigers) 28, 6 +
4 Steven Borthwick, Capt. (Saracens) 28, 49
3 David Wilson (Newcastle Falcons) 23, New Cap
2 Dylan Hartley (Northampton Saints) 22, 9
1 Timothy Payne (London Wasps) 29, 10
Replacements
16 Julian White (Leicester Tigers) 35, 49
17 Steven Thompson (CA Brive, France) 30, 42
18 Benjamin Kay (Leicester Tigers) 33, 60 *
19 Jordan Crane (Leicester Tigers) 22, 1
20 Paul Hodgson (London Irish) 26, 1 *
21 Samuel Vesty (Leicester Tigers) 26, New Cap
22 Mathew Tait (Sale Sharks) 22, 29
Head Coach: Martin Johnson

* Last played for England 2007-08 season
+ Last played for England 2006-07 season