England v Argentina - Teams and Prediction
PREVIEW: England will be hoping to finish their Nations Series campaign undefeated when they host Argentina at Twickenham on Saturday.
The hosts have been in incredible form, recording their 10th consecutive win last weekend at Allianz Stadium, Twickenham, with Steve Borthwick’s men defeating New Zealand 33–19.
Victory looked anything but certain early on, as England fell 0–12 behind following tries from Leicester Fainga’anuku and Codie Taylor. But England responded with 25 unanswered points, including two drop-goals and a penalty from veteran flyhalf George Ford.
However, like England, their opponents Argentina have also remained unbeaten in the Nations Series, following a comprehensive win over Wales two weeks ago and a stunning comeback victory against Scotland last weekend. They also inflicted a shock 28-24 defeat on the British and Irish Lions before they toured Australia.
Argentina will be looking for revenge after twice being beaten on home soil by England. Los Pumas edged England 30-29 in their last encounter at Allianz Stadium in 2022 and have continued to impress, defeating world champions South Africa in 2024 as well as the All Blacks in this year’s Rugby Championship.
Having once been associated with passionate but sometimes inconsistent rugby, Argentina have developed into one of the most formidable teams in the game. They currently sit sixth in the world rankings – just three places behind England.
They faced South Africa at Allianz Stadium in the final round of the Rugby Championship in October and were narrowly beaten, but their experience in southwest London gives them added confidence heading into Twickenham.
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It will be a big test for Elliot Daly, who returns on the wing for England. Daly is well aware of the risks and rewards of competing for the high ball – a key aspect of modern rugby union.
Back in 2016, the then-fledgling Test back lasted barely five minutes against Argentina before being shown a red card for taking out Leonardo Senatore in mid-air. Nine years on, Daly, who now has 73 England caps, returns under significantly changed laws.
A rule change means “escorts” are no longer allowed to protect the catcher of a high ball, making it a much more contested area, with chasers permitted “free access.”
“It’s changed the game,” said Daly.
“When you were able to escort, there was a 75 percent chance of getting the ball as a catcher, but now it’s probably 50-50. It allows for more unstructured turnovers from which to attack, so I can see how it’s more exciting to watch. But we know what we’re giving the other team if we don’t get it right. We know how important it is.”
Daly highlighted England’s tactical awareness under the new laws.
“We were pretty good under the old laws, but now you know you’re not going to get blocked, you can go for the ball and either tap it back or catch it. We’ve seen that with Tom Roebuck in recent weeks: he’s tapped a couple back and we’ve scored tries, so we understand how it can be a massive weapon for us.”
He added: “You know where the line is. It’s about being as squeaky clean as possible now, especially clear-outs and tackles. That’s the way we train — to make sure we keep 15 men on the field.”
Borthwick has backed Daly to remain a key figure in the England set-up through to the 2027 Rugby World Cup in Australia. At 33, Daly is confident of holding his place despite the emergence of younger backs such as Roebuck, Immanuel Feyi-Waboso, Tommy Freeman, and Henry Arundell.
“We get tracked on GPS data, so you know when you’re behind,” Daly said.
“When that point comes I might look at myself, but I feel brilliant at the moment. I would love to be here for the next World Cup and help as much as possible – and beyond that.”
Players to watch:
For England: Returning from injury, Elliot Daly will be crucial on the wing. Known for his ability under the high ball, pace, and tactical awareness, he’ll look to make an impact both in attack and defence. The new high-ball rules make his role even more contested and influential. A dominant force at the breakdown and lineout, Maro Itoje’s athleticism and defensive work rate can disrupt Argentina’s rhythm. His presence will be pivotal in both set-piece dominance and turnover creation.
For Argentina: The transition from sevens to 15s has been seamless for Rodrigo Isgró. The Harlequins back is a powerful runner who dominates the aerial battle and will look to cause havoc for England’s back three. With 112 caps to his name, Julián Montoya is vastly experienced and combines hard ball carrying with dogged defence. A constant threat at the breakdown, Montoya has captained Los Pumas over 50 times and provides clarity and calm when needed.
Prediction:
Rugby365: England by seven points
Teams:
England: 15 Freddie Steward, 14 Immanuel Feyi-Waboso, 13 Henry Slade, 12 Max Ojomoh, 11 Elliot Daly, 10 George Ford, 9 Ben Spencer, 8 Ben Earl, 7 Sam Underhill, 6 Guy Pepper, 5 Alex Coles, 4 Maro Itoje (captain), 3 Asher Opoku-Fordjour, 2 Luke Cowan-Dickie, 1 Ellis Genge
Replacements: 16 Theo Dan, 17 Fin Baxter, 18 Will Stuart, 19 Charlie Ewels, 20 Tom Curry, 21 Henry Pollock, 22 Alex Mitchell, 23 Marcus Smith
Argentina: 15 Juan Cruz Mallia, 14 Rodrigo Isgro, 13 Matias Moroni, 12 Justo Piccardo, 11 Bautista Delguy, 10 Thomas Albornoz, 9 Simon Benitez Cruz, 8 Santiago Grondona, 7 Marcos Kremer, 6 Juan Martin Gonzalez, 5 Pedro Rubiolo, 4 Guido Petti, 3 Pedro Delgado, 2 Julian Montoya (captain), 1 Thomas Gallo
Replacements: 16 Ignacio Ruiz, 17 Boris Wenger, 18 Tomas Rapetti, 19 Franco Molina, 20 Pablo Matera, 21 Joaquin Oviedo, 22 Agustin Moyano, 23 Santiago Carreras
Date: Sunday, November 23
Venue: Allianz Stadium, Twickenham
Kick-off: 16.10 (16.10 GMT; 13.10 ART)
Expected weather: Light rain with a temperature around 11°C
Referee: Pierre Brousset (France)
Assistant referees: Nika Amashukeli (Georgia), Sam Grove-White (Scotland)
TMO: Eric Gauzins (France)
Sources: EnglandRugby & AFP
