England's rugby landscape is buzzing with anticipation as coach Steve Borthwick shakes up his squad with six fresh faces in the starting XV, all while sticking to a beefy 6-2 split on the bench for the upcoming brawl against Argentina at Twickenham. Grab your jerseys, folks—Elliot Daly is back to dazzle on the left wing, marking his grand return since his arm-wrestle with a fracture during the Lions tour in Australia.
Stepping in for Tom Roebuck, Daly's not just here to fill boots but to sprint in them. On the opposite wing, Immanuel Feyi-Waboso will be tearing up the right side, with the ever-reliable Freddie Steward holding down the fort at No 15. The backline sees Henry Slade slicing back into the outside centre spot, teaming up with Fraser Dingwall to potentially deliver midfield mayhem against the Pumas.
Continuity is king in the halfback realm, with George Ford and Ben Spencer reprising their roles after orchestrating a win over the All Blacks—a duo England hopes can replicate last week's magic. And speaking of shaking things up, Borthwick has given the front row a whole new look. Ellis Genge, Luke Cowan-Dickie, and newcomer Asher Opoku-Fordjour will be setting the scrum, sending a clear signal that the front line is in for a fresh start.
The engine room and the back row remain untouched, showcasing the strategic stability of Maro Itoje, Alex Coles, Ben Earl, Sam Underhill, and Guy Pepper. But if you thought the starting lineup was where the excitement ends, think again. The bench is loaded with forward powerhouses like Theo Dan and Fin Baxter ready to bulldoze their way through if called upon.
"Last weekend gave us plenty to build on,"
remarked Borthwick, eyes firmly on the prize.
"Argentina play with emotion and physicality … We know how dangerous they can be, and we are preparing for a fiercely contested Test match."
With spirits high and tactics tighter than a ruck, this Sunday promises to be more than just a game—it's a gladiatorial contest in grass-stained jerseys.
ENGLAND TEAM: 15 Freddie Steward, 14 Immanuel Feyi-Waboso, 13 Henry Slade, 12 Fraser Dingwall, 11 Elliot Daly, 10 George Ford, 9 Ben Spencer, 8 Ben Earl, 7 Sam Underhill, 6 Guy Pepper, 5 Alex Coles, 4 Maro Itoje (c), 3 Asher Opoku-Fordjour, 2 Luke Cowan-Dickie, 1 Ellis Genge. Bench: 16 Theo Dan, 17 Fin Baxter, 18 Will Stuart, 19 Charlie Ewels, 20 Tom Curry, 21 Henry Pollock, 22 Alex Mitchell, 23 Marcus Smith.
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England's rugby landscape is buzzing with anticipation as coach Steve Borthwick shakes up his squad with six fresh faces in the starting XV, all while sticking to a beefy 6-2 split on the bench for the upcoming brawl against Argentina at Twickenham. Grab your jerseys, folks—Elliot Daly is back to dazzle on the left wing, marking his grand return since his arm-wrestle with a fracture during the Lions tour in Australia.
Stepping in for Tom Roebuck, Daly's not just here to fill boots but to sprint in them. On the opposite wing, Immanuel Feyi-Waboso will be tearing up the right side, with the ever-reliable Freddie Steward holding down the fort at No 15. The backline sees Henry Slade slicing back into the outside centre spot, teaming up with Fraser Dingwall to potentially deliver midfield mayhem against the Pumas.
Continuity is king in the halfback realm, with George Ford and Ben Spencer reprising their roles after orchestrating a win over the All Blacks—a duo England hopes can replicate last week's magic. And speaking of shaking things up, Borthwick has given the front row a whole new look. Ellis Genge, Luke Cowan-Dickie, and newcomer Asher Opoku-Fordjour will be setting the scrum, sending a clear signal that the front line is in for a fresh start.
The engine room and the back row remain untouched, showcasing the strategic stability of Maro Itoje, Alex Coles, Ben Earl, Sam Underhill, and Guy Pepper. But if you thought the starting lineup was where the excitement ends, think again. The bench is loaded with forward powerhouses like Theo Dan and Fin Baxter ready to bulldoze their way through if called upon.
"Last weekend gave us plenty to build on,"
remarked Borthwick, eyes firmly on the prize."Argentina play with emotion and physicality … We know how dangerous they can be, and we are preparing for a fiercely contested Test match."
With spirits high and tactics tighter than a ruck, this Sunday promises to be more than just a game—it's a gladiatorial contest in grass-stained jerseys.ENGLAND TEAM: 15 Freddie Steward, 14 Immanuel Feyi-Waboso, 13 Henry Slade, 12 Fraser Dingwall, 11 Elliot Daly, 10 George Ford, 9 Ben Spencer, 8 Ben Earl, 7 Sam Underhill, 6 Guy Pepper, 5 Alex Coles, 4 Maro Itoje (c), 3 Asher Opoku-Fordjour, 2 Luke Cowan-Dickie, 1 Ellis Genge. Bench: 16 Theo Dan, 17 Fin Baxter, 18 Will Stuart, 19 Charlie Ewels, 20 Tom Curry, 21 Henry Pollock, 22 Alex Mitchell, 23 Marcus Smith.