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12 min: Penalty for Argentina, against Itoje for straying off-side. Albornoz is off the field for Carreras. Not sure why. HIA maybe? Either way, the new fella kicks a raking kick and it lands close to England’s line, where the penalty will take place and they’re going to pack down for a scrum. Big opportunity here to strike. Small blind down the right. Loads of options left.
TRY! England 10-0 Argentina (Ojomoh, 10)
A point a minute so far! From nothing! A high contestable kick causes a mess in Argentina’s backfield. They can’t control it and pressure from the chasing Pepper sees the ball spill loose and move backwards. Before anyone in blue and white can react, Ojomoh pounces and canters home from about 40 metes out. Ford slots a simple penalty and England are thrumming.
Drop-goal! England 3-0 Argentina (Ford, 9)
England strike first! Cowan-Dickie combines with Underhill at a slick line-out and Underhill is charging upfield. he makes 20 odd metres before he’s hauled down. The ball goes wide to Ojomoh who is nailed but they recycle. They go back right where Feyi-Waboso puts Delguy on his backside with a stiff hand-off. England keep moving until Ford pulls the trigger and sticks the landing with a perfect drop.
7 min: Penalty to England in the scrum. Two scrums. Two penalties. Slade has the ball and will clear from his 22, finding touch between halfway and the 10 metre line.
6 min: Yet again Argentina cough up possession at the line-out. How frustrating for the visitors. Not straight again. England choose to scrum again, this time five out from their own line.
5 min: Argentina win the penalty at the scrum. Not driving straight from the English. Genge isn’t happy (is he ver?). Albornoz hoofs it from halfway to inside England’s 22 for a line-out.
4 min: England challenge at a line-out and Montoya throws skew, which means England get the ball and can choose a scrum or line-out themselves. Itoje celebrates. Libbok was penalised for celebrating a knock-on. Are we going anything similar moving forward?
3 min: Daly climbs high to take a high ball cross-kick but is beaten to it by Mallia. Argentina kick it back but too long and Ford takes an easy mark. I hope those in the front rows have a massage booked this week. They’ll be staring up a lot this afternoon.
1 min: Ojomoh takes the kick-off and Spencer hoofs it out of touch from the box. Pumas line-out on halfway. England attack it but Argentina come away with the ball. Albornoz hoists it high and Feyi-Waboso runs it back. Early probes.
Argentina in blue and white, England in navy blue.
Not sure how I feel about the home team having to change kit, but there you go.
Anthems now. Argentina might have the longest one in tier 1 rugby (maybe South Africa?). England surely with the shortest.
Not sure if anyone else in the world finds that interesting.
The players are heading out the tunnel as a remix of Coolio’s Gangster’s Paradise plays out.
England are ranked third in the world. Argentina are ranked sixth.
Both teams are unbeaten this autumn.
Should be a proper game.
This is Argentina’s third and final game of the autumn.
They spanked Wales by a record score and, as we’ve said multiple times, did the business as they came from behind to stun Scotland.
But this is the big one. This could be one of their biggest wins in their history. England are a mighty fine team. They’ll take some beating.
Not long to go now.
Scotland beat Tonga 56-0 to sign off their autumn in style.
Other results from the weekend:
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Wales 26-52 New Zealand
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Ireland 13-24 South Africa
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France 48-33 Australia
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Italy 34-19 Chile
In the totally made up and not-to-be-taken-seriously rivalry between north and south, we’re at 3-2 in favour of the northerners.
Here’s some words from England’s skipper, Maro Itoje:
Argentina are a quality side - I play with a number of them, they are extremely talented.
We have seen what they have done in the Rugby Championship and they beat us here a couple of years ago [2022’s 30-29 defeat].
We know their danger and quality and they can definitely hurt us.
Reader Rogorn Moradan has a suggestion for World Rugby (and we know you’re following, dear leaders):
Number of Tier 1 rugby teams: 12
Number of test matches played in 2025 by those 12 teams (correct me if I’m wrong):
15 Australia
14 South Africa
13 New Zealand, Argentina
12 England
11 Ireland, France, Wales
10 Italy
9 Scotland
8 Japan
7 Fiji
Come on, World Rugby, join the dots. A 12-team Nations League every year (everybody playing everybody once) except for World Cup years. South Africa v England every year. New Zealand v Ireland every year. Team ending 12th would have to defend their place against the best team from Tier 2. At the same time as that 13th promotion-relegation match happens, teams 1-11 play someone else from Tier 2 to check how good they are and make any adjustments. Regional baubles like the Six Nations title or the Southern Hemisphere equivalent can still be awarded by compiling the relevant results.
Some quick stats for ya:
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England’s November wins have been by margins of 18, 20 and 14 points
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Argentina have scored 24 or more points in each of their last nine Test matches
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England have won their last ten matches including two victories in Argentina
England have won their last 11 matches, so naturally there’s one question on everyone’s lips:
Would they beat the number one side in the world, the South African Springboks if they were in town?
“Be careful what you wish for,” says former England wing, Ugo Monye, in his latest column for the G:
England have won 14 of their last 15 meetings with the Pumas.
Insert exploding head emoji here.
How? Why? Is it mental? Is there something about England’s game that has proved impossible for Argentina to crack?
No really, I’m asking.
While you chew on that, have a squiz at Rob Kitson’s latest:
Argentina team news
A formidable back three of Juan Cruz Mallia, Rodrigo Isgro and Bautista Delugy will look to strike from deep and contest in the air.
It’s a mobile back row with Marcos Kremer starting and the excellent Pablo Matera named on the bench, likely as a response to England’s Pom Squad.
There are three Harlequins players in the group (Isgro, Pedro Delgado and Guido Pett) while Bath’s Santiago Carreras, who sparked the comeback against Scotland, remains on the bench.
Argentina: 15 Juan Cruz Mallia; 14 Rodrigo Isgro, 13 Matias Moroni, 12 Justo Piccardo, 11 Bautista Delguy; 10 Tomas Albornoz, 9 Simon Benitez Cruz; 1 Thomas Gallo, 2 Julian Montoya, 3 Pedro Delgado, 4 Guido Petti, 5 Pedro Rubiolo, 6 Juan Martin Gonzalez, 7 Marcos Kremer, 8 Santiago Grondona.
Replacements: 16 Ignacio Ruiz, 17 Boris Wenger, 18 Tomas Rapetti, 19 Franco Molina, Pablo Matera, Joaquin Oviedo, Agustin Moyano, Santiago Carreras.
England team news
It’s a new look midfield as Bath’s Max Ojomoh becomes Henry Slade’s 14th partner in midfield.
The original plan was to have Fraser Dingwall, but a side strain means he joins Ollie Lawrence on the list of injured players.
Freedie Steward keeps his spot at fullback, as does George Ford at fly-half, emphasising that coach Steve Borthwick is starting to settle on some key positions.
The Pom Squad makes a return as Tom Curry and Henry Pollock are revved up and ready to unleash chaos off the bench.
England: 15 Freddie Steward; 14 Immanuel Feyi-Waboso, 13 Henry Slade, 12 Max Ojomoh, 11 Elliot Daly; 10 George Ford, 9 Ben Spencer; 1 Ellis Genge, 2 Luke Cowan-Dickie, 3 Asher Opoku-Fordjour, 4 Maro Itoje, 5 Alex Coles, 6 Guy Pepper, 7 Sam Underhill, 8 Ben Earl.
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.
Preamble
Daniel Gallan
We’ve had an absolutely bonkers weekend of rugby so far.
Wales pushed the All Blacks and gave them a proper scare. South Africa and Ireland played out a chaotic classic. France and Australia traded blows like two drunk boxers in a bar.
It’s been that sort of autumn. But amidst the madness Steve Borthwick’s England have been composed and efficient and they have a chance of claiming a clean sweep against the visiting southerners this afternoon.
They’ve had the beating of Argentina if all four of their last meetings, including two comfortably triumphs in the 2023 World Cup.
But the Pumas are an improved side and not only pack a punch in the pack but can also strike out wide with some dazzling carriers.
They had to dig deep to overturn a deficit in the comeback win over Scotland last week. Have they emptied the tank? Or have they left enough fuel for one more explosive outing?
We’ll find out soon when things kick-off at 4:10.
We’ll have teams and further updates between then and now.
Any thoughts about this game or any other this weekend? I’d love to hear from you.
