Argentina hooker Agustin Creevy has promised the England a forwards a “war” when the two teams meet in a crunch Rugby World Cup match on Saturday.
Creevy, who will become the most-capped Argentina player when he plays for the side for the 86th time on Saturday, believes his team are heading back to the great traditions of Argentinian scrummaging.
The Pumas lost their opening game to France so are left with the knowledge that defeat to England will likely see them knocked out.
Creevy said: “Next Saturday is going to be like a war, it’s like a final for us. It’s going to be really hard with the forwards. I think the battle with the forwards will be the game. We need to win the scrum, win the line-out, win the maul, win the breakdown.
“I think the old scrum of Argentina is returning. Our skills in the scrums and the mentality, we worked a lot on that. I think we are improving in the scrum and we feel good, but we need to continue. The England scrum is really good.”
Creevy also believes a spell at Worcester between 2013 and 2015, where he played with England hooker Jack Singleton, has helped him understand English rugby.
“They are really structured and that for me is really good,” he said of the English style.
“I think sometimes it’s boring [to watch] but it’s good for England, and it works.”
England fly-half George Ford said that England must make sure they stay onside around the tackle as the subject has become a hot topic at this World Cup.
“It’s pretty clear as a player,” he said. “We want to make it clear that we are onside. Our aim is to be whiter than white in terms of that because one penalty can change the momentum.”
