England look to secure quarters berth with win over lowly Argentina
England’s Piers Francis runs with the ball during a training session in Tokyo on Friday. Agence France-Presse
Qualification with a game to go would bring a measure of redemption for Eddie Jones’s men after England’s 2015 humiliation of becoming the first host team to fail to make the quarter-finals.
Hooker Agustin Creevy said the match was “like a war, it’s like a final for us” as defeat would leave Los Pumas hoping France slip up against Tonga if they are to qualify from Pool C, the tournament’s ‘group of death’.
However, a win for Mario Ledesma’s men would blow open the group and set up a nail-biting final weekend, including a winner-takes-all “Le Crunch” between France and England in Yokohama.
“This is our World Cup final. That’s how important it is for us,” Ledesma said.
Jones has 31 fit Englishmen to select from but is aware that the serious World Cup business starts now after bonus-point canters against the US (45-7) and Tonga (35-3).
Argentina are “a completely different team from others we have played so far in the pool stages and are always about the physical contest”, Jones told reporters.
The Australian coach has picked his battering ram prop Mako Vunipola and winger Jack Nowell in the match-day 23, as both have recovered from long-term injuries.
While the two key players have yet to reach peak fitness, Jones backed them to make an impact off the bench at the Tokyo Stadium.
The England boss has stuck with the double playmaker strategy of George Ford at fly-half alongside inside centre Owen Farrell, who predicted a “tough game” and said his team were prepared to “play any sort of Rugby to win”.
Ledesma, who featured in a 13-9 loss to England in the 2011 World Cup, made only one change to the side that beat Tonga, bringing in Javier Ortega Desio at number eight in place of Tomas Lezana.
The other surprise sprung by Ledesma is omitting fly-half Nicolas Sanchez, as he retained Benjamin Urdapilleta as starting pivot and preferred utility back Lucas Mensa on the bench.
Elsewhere, tournament hosts Japan go into this weekend’s Rugby World Cup clash with Samoa as favourites after winning their last two meetings.
But after the heartbreak of missing out on the quarter-finals four years ago, the Brave Blossoms know there’s still work left to do.
After beating Russia 30-10 and then stunning Ireland 19-12 to top Pool A, Japan will be hoping to take a giant step against the Samoans.
Samoa began with a comfortable 34-9 win over Russia but were hammered 34-0 by Scotland in their next game.
Japan coach Jamie Joseph insisted that will make the Pacific islanders dangerous opponents in Toyota on Saturday.
Talismanic leader Michael Leitch returns to Japan’s back row after being dropped to the bench against Ireland.
That news clearly riled the Kiwi-born flanker, who played like a man possessed when he came on after 30 minutes in Shizuoka.
Pieter Labuschagne retains the captaincy after an impressive first outing as skipper but Joseph insisted Leitch was still the leader in the dressing room. Atsushi Sakate starts at hooker and Wimpie van der Walt comes in at lock as coach Jamie Joseph made three changes.
Samoa have won 11 of the 15 Tests played between the sides but it has been seven years since they last emerged victorious.
Agence France-Presse
