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England name unchanged starting XV to face Argentina
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Yellow card Elliot ANDERSON (England) is booked by
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Yellow card Lisandro MARTINEZ (Argentina) is booked by
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Yellow card Cristian ROMERO (Argentina) is booked by
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Goal Anthony GORDON (England) scores!!
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Goal Enzo FERNANDEZ (Argentina) scores!!
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Goal Lautaro MARTINEZ (Argentina) scores!!
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Yellow card Rodrigo DE PAUL (Argentina) is booked
England squad
- Selected
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1 Jordan PICKFORD Goalkeeper
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4 Declan RICE Midfielder
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5 John STONES Defender
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6 Marc GUEHI Defender
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8 Elliot ANDERSON Midfielder
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9 Harry KANE C Forward
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10 Jude BELLINGHAM Midfielder
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17 Morgan ROGERS Midfielder
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18 Anthony GORDON Forward
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24 Reece JAMES Defender
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25 Djed SPENCE Defender
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2 Ezri KONSA Defender
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3 Nico OREILLY Defender
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7 Bukayo SAKA Forward
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11 Marcus RASHFORD Forward
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12 Trevoh CHALOBAH Defender
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13 Dean Henderson Goalkeeper
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14 Jordan HENDERSON Midfielder
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15 Dan BURN Defender
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16 Kobbie MAINOO Midfielder
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19 Ollie WATKINS Forward
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20 Noni MADUEKE Forward
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21 Eberechi EZE Midfielder
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22 Ivan TONEY Forward
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23 James TRAFFORD Goalkeeper
- Full squad
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26 Jarell QUANSAH Defender
Argentina squad
- Selected
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3 Nicolas TAGLIAFICO Defender
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5 Leandro PAREDES Midfielder
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6 Lisandro MARTINEZ Defender
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9 Julian ALVAREZ Forward
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10 Lionel MESSI C Forward
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13 Cristian ROMERO Defender
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17 Giuliano SIMEONE Forward
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20 Alexis MAC ALLISTER Midfielder
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23 Emiliano MARTINEZ Goalkeeper
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24 Enzo FERNANDEZ Midfielder
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26 Nahuel MOLINA Defender
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1 Juan MUSSO Goalkeeper
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2 Marcos SENESI Defender
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4 Gonzalo MONTIEL Defender
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7 Rodrigo DE PAUL Midfielder
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8 Valentin BARCO Midfielder
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11 Giovani Lo Celso Midfielder
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12 Geronimo RULLI Goalkeeper
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14 Exequiel PALACIOS Midfielder
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15 Nico GONZALEZ Midfielder
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16 Thiago ALMADA Forward
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18 Nico PAZ Forward
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19 Nicolas OTAMENDI Defender
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21 Jose Manuel LOPEZ Forward
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22 Lautaro MARTINEZ Forward
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25 Facundo MEDINA Defender
England will field an unchanged starting XV for their final summer Test against Argentina in Santiago del Estero, with head coach Steve Borthwick opting for continuity over promoting newly capped players Benhard Janse van Rensburg and Noah Caluori or in-form back-row forward Henry Pollock to the run-on side. The match, part of the Nations Championship, follows England's 73-8 thrashing of Fiji and comes shortly after Argentina's football team beat England's in a dramatic World Cup semi-final.
Seb Atkinson and Henry Slade retain their centre partnership, with Tommy Freeman moving back to the wing, while Jack van Poortvliet continues at scrum-half in place of the injured Alex Mitchell. Northampton prop Emmanuel Iyogun is poised for a first cap off the bench, and South Africa-born Janse van Rensburg, only recently cleared to play for England after an eligibility dispute, is expected to feature more prominently in future fixtures. The Pumas clash kicks off a demanding schedule of ten Tests before next year's Rugby World Cup, including autumn fixtures against New Zealand, Australia and Japan.
In short
- England keep same starting XV to face Argentina in Nations Championship
- Pollock, Caluori and Janse van Rensburg held back from starting line-up
- Ten Tests remain before next year's Rugby World Cup
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Continuity of selection reinforces the value of a winning combination; with a 73-8 victory demonstrating the current starting XV's effectiveness and a gruelling ten-Test schedule approaching, maintaining tactical cohesion and player confidence serves World Cup preparation better than experimental rotations. Newly capped players can develop through meaningful bench time and training without disrupting the established unit's rhythm during a critical pre-tournament window.
The case against
In a six-month period before the World Cup, deliberate rotation and promotion of in-form players like Henry Pollock and newly capped talent such as Janse van Rensburg provides essential game experience and allows the coaching staff to test multiple combinations under pressure. Regular competition for places maintains tactical freshness, prevents over-reliance on familiarity, and builds the playing depth and adaptability needed for tournament success rather than ossifying around a single starting XV.
Explained simply
In rugby union, a Test match is a fixture between two national teams at the highest level of international competition. England's upcoming match against Argentina is part of the Nations Championship, a competition between major rugby nations, and comes during an intensive preparation period for next year's Rugby World Cup.
England recorded a dominant 73-8 victory over Fiji in their most recent Test, showing strong attacking form. The Argentina fixture also follows shortly after Argentina's football team beat England's in a World Cup semi-final, creating additional sporting rivalry between the two nations.
England is currently managing player injuries whilst also integrating newly available talent into the squad. The months before a World Cup are crucial for coaches to establish which combinations work best and to build consistency in their starting lineup.
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