More width, more speed, more air – England attack faces tough Pumas test

Quilter Nations Series: England v Argentina

Venue: Allianz Stadium, Twickenham Date: Sunday, 23 November Kick-off: 16:10 GMT

Coverage: Live on BBC Sounds and Radio 5 Sports Extra with live text commentary on the BBC Sport website and app

The baggage is unavoidable.

So Clarin, Argentina’s biggest newspaper, steered straight into it.

In the first two lines of their preview of Sunday’s match, «history, politics, the Falklands War and England’s persistent imperialist views» were all referenced.

The story of a teenage Federico Mendez ironing out England second row Paul Ackford with a blindside haymaker 35 years ago was retold.

On Thursday, Franco Molina threw in another piece of the Anglo-Argentine back story.

«It was a goal, the referee gave it, it was a goal!,» the Argentina second row said, recalling Diego Maradona’s contentious ‘Hand of God’ goal in the 1986 quarter-final meeting at the football World Cup.

But it was all with a smile.

If all that history is being brewed up as pep-talk kerosene, Molina, who spent last season playing for Exeter, hid it well.

For him there was too much to get excited about in the 80 minutes to come, without dredging up the past.

«It is a big game, just because of the context of the international game,» he said.

«It is really special playing at Twickenham.

«It is going to be a really physical game and every English team is tidy in what they do, all the kicks from the field, all the play with the ball in hand.

«We will need to be really connected and precise across the whole 80 minutes to beat them.»

As an assessment of England, it was pretty accurate.

The hosts are on a roll of 10 straight wins. Like Molina, England fans are pretty excited about Sunday too.

Attack coach Lee Blackett, originally seconded from Bath for the summer tour of the Americas and now in the post permanently, has overseen the past six wins, adding some slickness and variety with ball in hand.

Since his appointment, England have moved the ball more widely, more accurately and more quickly than they did in the first part of this year.

The proportion of attacking phases in which the ball is moved 20 metres laterally from the previous breakdown has nearly doubled.

While England have kicked slightly less during Blackett’s time in the set-up, the proportion in which they have contested the regather with the opposition has more than trebled.

The share of rucks completed in less than three seconds has jumped 10%.

There is a caveat to this.

It is easier to play high tempo, ambitious rugby on a summer tour and against southern hemisphere opposition than in the depths of a Six Nations dogfight.

But, after beating the All Blacks in style and comfort, it is impossible to deny England have taken a big step forward during 2025.

They are playing with more confidence, flow and consistency, using the depth built in the absence of their British and Irish Lions this summer to outlast teams in the final 20 minutes if they cannot outplay them in the first hour.

This weekend, Blackett will be attempting to coax more of the same from a rejigged backline.

Max Ojomoh, who he worked with at Bath, wins his second cap at inside centre.

Elliot Daly and Henry Slade return as starters to both win their 74th caps, with the versatile Saracens back having fallen foul of injury and Slade having been out of favour since the summer tour.

In the forwards, Asher Opoku-Fordjour makes his second Test start.

If the personnel changes and upward trajectory continue, it will complete a hugely promising 2025 and add more options and intrigue to Borthwick’s hand.

But a year bookended by defeats is also a real possibility for the hosts.

Molina reckons Argentina need an 80-minute performance at Allianz Stadium.

Last weekend, they were connected and precise for about half an hour, but that was still enough to sweep back from 21 points down and beat Scotland at Murrayfield.

In September, an hour’s dominance did for Australia in Sydney.

Something closer to a complete performance delivered a first home win over New Zealand in August and a landmark victory over the British and Irish Lions in June.

This Argentina team have bona fide stars, a passionate heart and the ability to beat anyone if they get into their groove.

France-based stars Marcos Kremer and Juan Cruz Mallia, who missed the two Test defeats by England in July, are back in harness, while eight of the starting XV are established Prem performers.

«Argentina are a quality side – I play with a number of them, they are extremely talented,» said England captain Maro Itoje.

«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.»

England’s vulnerabilities are shrinking though.

If they can swat aside the Pumas, while injuries stretch the squad into another new shape, the impression of impregnability will only grow.