WORLD CUP RUGBY England and Argentina Clash

10.09.2011

Argentina v England in Dunedin (World Cup, Pool B)

Venue: Forsyth Barr Stadium

Referee: Bryce Lawrence (New Zealand)

Preview
This will be THE clash of the Saturday games and second in importance to the England-Scotland clash later in pool play.

Argentina does not appear to be the force they were in 2007. Los Pumas supporters on the streets of Auckland will tell you so. They lost 13-28 to Wales in their only full test before this tournament, defeated A South American XV 78-15 and shared a two match international series against the French Barbarians in Argentina. But make no mistake. Argentina will be very formidable up front and England will have a tough task taming the Pumas.

England's back play of recent has een very ordinary. Mix that with the expressed aim that England must win this game at all costs. It wont be pretty but for the purists the forward battle will be engrossing. England has the power up front to match the might Pumas.

Last Five Encounters
14.11.2009 England 15-9 at Twickenham
13.06.2009 Argentina 24-22 in Salta
06.06.2009 England 37-15 in Manchester
11.11.2006 Argentina 25-18 at Twickenham
22.06.2002 England 26-18 in Buenos Aires


GWC Rugby Rankings
World Table- England 8th, Argentina 11th

IRB Ranking Points
England 81.82, Argentina 78.40

Prediction: England by 7 points

Teams

Argentina15 Martin Rodriguez, 14 Horacio Agulla, 13 Gonzalo Tiesi, 12 Santiago Fernandez, 11 Gonzalo Camacho, 10 Felipe Contepomi, 9 Nicolas Vergallo, 8 Juan Martin Fernandez Lobbe, 7 Juan Manuel Leguizamon, 6 Julio Farias Cabello, 5 Patricio Albacete, 4 Manuel Carizza, 3 Juan Figallo, 2 Mario Ledesma, 1 Rodrigo Roncero.
Replacements
16 Agustin Creevy, 17 Martin Scelzo, 18 Mariano Galarza, 19 Alejandro Campos, 20 Alfredo Lalanne, 21 Marcelo Bosch, 22 Juan Jose Imhoff.
Head Coach: Santiago Phelan










England15 Benjamin Foden, 14 Christopher Ashton, 13 Manu Tuilagi, 12 Michael Tindall, Capt. 11 Delon Armitage, 10 Jonny Wilkinson, 9 Richard Wigglesworth, 8 Nicholas Easter, 7 James Haskell, 6 Thomas Croft, 5 Courtney Lawes, 4 Louis Deacon, 3 Daniel Cole, 2 Steven Thompson, 1 Andrew Sheridan.
Replacements
16 Dylan Hartley, 17 Matthew Stevens, 18 Thomas Palmer, 19 Thomas Wood, 20 Benjamin Youngs,
21 Tobias Flood, 22 Matthew Banahan
Head Coach: Martin Johnson