Twelvetrees calls for composure
England centre Billy Twelvetrees believes the Pumas will present them with a much sterner challenge in the second Test in Buenos Aires on Saturday.
Featuring a try and 15 carries for 95 metres, Twelvetrees’ performance at inside centre was a significant highlight of the tourists’ 32-3 triumph in the opening Test last weekend.
The Gloucester man also had another score pulled back for a forward pass and showcased the full extent of his off-loading ability to bring other runners into the game at will throughout the contest.
But despite such an eye-catching outing, the “humbled” 24 year-old insisted that the achievement of securing a 32-3 away win outweighed any individual satisfaction.
“The team’s very pleased,” he said shortly after the final whistle. “To get a win here in such a passionate country against a good Argentinean side is pleasing.
“We played some really good stuff in the first half. The second half was pretty frustrating for how our discipline went down but overall we’re happy.
“We talked a lot about how we wanted to together play as team – at a quick tempo with some attractive rugby. We knew Argentina were going to bring a lot of physicality.
“I’m just happy to be wearing a shirt with a rose on it – it’s a huge honour to be playing for my country and I’m just very humbled to be here. Wins like this haven’t happened too much for England in recent years.”
Acknowledging that his relationship with Kingsholm clubmate Freddie Burns was a positive factor in England’s midfield, Twelvetrees looked forward to this weekend final assignment in Buenos Aires.
Mindful of last Saturday’s underwhelming second half, which descended into a series of ruck penalties, he urged his teammates to maintain their composure in order to whitewash the Pumas and make history.
“[Argentina] came out with great intensity in the second half, picking and going around the rucks and brining the physicality we knew they would.
“Discipline let us down a little bit but that’s rugby – you’ve got to play the referee and we probably weren’t very smart there. We still played corners well and managed to get a try at the end to close it off.
“[Winning the series 2-0] been our focus since we arrived here a couple of weeks ago. That hasn’t been done and to get a series win here would be fantastic. Buenos Aires will be a completely different environment, but it’s one we’re looking forward to.”
Finishing with a nod to the five Test debutantes who opened their international accounts at the Estadio Padre Ernesto Martearena – Matt Kvesic, Christian Wade, Kyle Eastmond, Billy Vunipola and Henry Thomas – Twelvetrees praised the atmosphere within Stuart Lancaster’s young squad.
“It’s great that these boys can come in and show what they can do without looking out of place,” he added. “That’s what this England team is about – building trust with players and coaches. It’s terrific.”
