That was an enthralling game - relentless attacking rugby, eight tries and the lead changing hands six times. England conceded twice in quick succession at the 50-minute mark, and it looked like their young side might fold.
They fought back and in a frantic final period, it could have gone either way. It went England’s way, Denny Solomona’s try capping a fine afternoon for so many debutants, and sealing a statement win against a 2019 World Cup opponent.
The second Test next Saturday should be fun. Thanks for joining me. Cheerio!
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Here’s George Ford: “That game swung both ways, we were up, then Argentina... what a finish from Denny at the end. The boys put a real shift in... the first game of the tour, it’s nice to get a win. We know it’ll be tougher next week. The new guys were running around like mad men, it was brilliant to play alongside them.”
Full time! Argentina 34-38 England
The hooter sounds, and England just have to find touch to finish the job. They do so, and after a breathless, brilliant game, they have somehow managed to win!
TRY! Argentina 34-38 England (Solomona)
What about that! Denny Solomona’s only contribution thus far had been two missed tackles, but after fine work from Launder and Launchbury, he finds space on the right, and then cuts inside, raw power taking him through two tackles. Suddenly, the line is in sight – and he’s over! Ford converts, and England look like they’ve won this...
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77 mins: Nick Isiekwe comes on in place of Charlie Ewels, who has had a very solid game. Hernandez launches a monster kick to keep England penned back, but they have a lineout inside their own half. Jack Maunder is on at scrum-half, replacing Danny Care.
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DROP GOAL! Argentina 34-31 England (Hernandez)
Penalty advantage, but Argentina keep battling for the line. Hernandez drops into space, and tucks away a drop goal! The crowd goes wild, but there’s still time for England to respond...
75 mins: This has felt like a game of sevens at times – the pace relentless, the balance of power constantly swinging. It’s Argentina pressing once again, Orlando finding De la Fuente. England hold on, but replacement forwards Montoya and Tetaz Chaparro break tackles with ease...
73 mins: England press forward, Armand and Ford at the heart of the move – but Hartley spills the ball! Hernandez passes out wide to Moyano, but Charlie Ewels gets back to deny him a breakaway try!
71 mins: Tom Curry, England’s youngest debutant since Jonny Wilkinson, is replaced by Don Armand. Jones surely cannot have expected any more from the teenager. For Argentina, Petti replaces Tomas Lavanini and Santiago Garcia Botta is on for Noguera – their final two changes.
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70 mins: ...but England win the turnover, thanks to two exceptional Tom Curry tackles, and are straight back on the attack. Jonny May kicks upfield and looks to chase it down, but Argentina get back to clear the danger.
69 mins: Orlando makes a barrelling diagonal run, but can’t pick out a gap or a pass. Argentina turn to their pack to drive to within five metres...
68 mins: Gonzalo Bertranou is on, replacing scrum-half Landajo, who has picked up a knock. He’s been a relentless presence for Argentina. Time for a breather, with 12 minutes to go.
TRY! Argentina 31-31 England (Ford - conversion missed)
George Ford’s afternoon keeps getting better. After Charlie Ewels does well to hold up the England maul, the ball is worked right to Ford, who exchanges passes with Francis and gallops through a gap in the defence! The fly-half grounds the ball in the corner, giving himself a tricky conversion – and he slices it. We’re all square...
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64 mins: More Argentina changes – Moyano replaces Buffelli, and Montoya replaces Agustin Creevy at hooker. Shadows lengthening, and the party atmosphere has drifted a little after Ford’s penalty.
Argentina 31-26 England (Ford penalty)
This could be a big moment – England win a penalty on the halfway line, and George Ford goes for goal. Another perfect place-kick drops between the posts, and England are back within five points.
A Mexican wave ripples around the ground as Sanchez lines up the penalty – which is missed to the right. Sanchez is going off, replaced by Juan Martin ‘El Mago’ Hernandez. For England, Harry Williams is replaced by fellow debutant Will Collier.
59 mins: After punching above their weight in the first half, England’s pack are starting to struggle against the strength and depth of Argentina’s forwards. England buckle under the latest surge, and Nathan Hughes is penalised for holding on.
57 mins: Two changes for Argentina, with Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro and Leonardo Senatore replacing Leguizamon and Pieretto. Senatore has 44 caps; England’s entire bench have 15 between them (all belonging to Mullan).
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56 mins: England’s backs manage to slow Argentina down, Sanchez forced to try a long-range drop goal which he slices wide of the right post.
55 mins: Argentina are rampant now, and Eddie Jones makes changes to try and steady the ship. Matt Mullan and Piers Francis are on in place of Genge and Lozowski.
TRY! Argentina 31-23 England (Tuculet)
A breakneck attacking move from one end of the field to the other, Orlando and Buffelli breaking tackles and moving the ball, before Joaquin Tuculet breaks clear down the left to score! Sanchez converts, and Argentina have scored 14 points in three minutes.
TRY! Argentina 24-23 England (de la Fuente)
The hosts are back in front, and sadly Solomona carries some of the blame, slipping over to allow Landajo to break through. He finds Jeronimo de la Fuente, who cruises over the line – and Sanchez converts from in front of the posts.
50 mins: Denny Solomona is coming on, replacing Marland Yarde. It’s been quite a journey for Solomona – born and raised in New Zealand, he played league for Castleford, retired, and now makes his England debut at 23.
TRY! Argentina 17-23 England (May)
This is a dazzling bit of play from England, and Henry Slade in particular. Curry and Wilson busy themselves to retain the ball, Care sweeps it to Slade, whose kick to the corner is so precise, Mike Brown and Jonny May have time to discuss who will pounce on it. In the end, it’s May who grounds the ball, and Ford nails another conversion.
45 mins: Moroni has to collect a ball under pressure, staring right into the sun – and he spills it. England scrum, 10 metres into Argentina territory...
43 mins: Slade is under Sanchez’s kick, and with two players bearing down on him, finds Yarde with a lovely offload. England burst downfield, but the hosts stall their momentum 10 metres out, holding up Hartley and winning a penalty to clear their lines.
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Argentina 17-16 England (Ford)
Ford lines it up, looking for a fourth successful kick from four. Straight between the posts.
We're back!
Argentina penalised early on for an offside, and Ford will go for goal from 30 yards out, close to the left touchline.
Plenty of positives for this patchwork England team, with Marland Yarde, George Ford and Alex Lozowski all impressive. Inexperience has told, with turnovers and penalties helping Argentina restore their lead – although Nicolas Sanchez’s chip to Emiliano Boffelli was the highlight of the half. Back shortly.
Half time: Argentina 17-13 England
Sanchez puts away the penalty, giving the hosts a little breathing space and taking his international points tally to 501 in the process.
39 mins: An attempted kick-and-run from Landajo is quite brilliantly cut out by Yarde, who collects and turns smartly to escape pressure. Brown kicks away to win a lineout as the hooter sounds. There’s time to take it, and time for Argentina to win a cheap penalty. Sanchez will go for goal...
38 mins: Another turnover in a half jam-packed with them, but Henry Slade’s hopeful long pass goes out of play. Argentina lineout on their own 22...
TRY! Argentina 14-13 England (Lavanini)
A real test for the English pack here, and it’s one that they valiantly fail – four or five navy shirts unable to deny Tomas Lavanini, who hauls his mighty frame over the line. Sanchez converts, and Argentina retake the lead!
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35 mins: A mis-step from Genge and the ball is turned over. Boffelli leads Argentina to within five metres as England try to regroup...
34 mins: After a slow start, a helter-skelter spell has gone very much in England’s favour. They are gaining points from chaotic periods of play, which is what Jones was looking for.
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TRY! Argentina 7-13 England (Yarde)
Lozowski continues his impressive start, swinging the ball wide to Ford, who finds Yarde in space on the right flank. He skips beyond the tackle and dives into the corner. Blistering stuff from England. The conversion is from an impossibly narrow angle – but Ford slots it away!
31 mins: Danny Care looks to counter that counter, and despite a heroic tackle, England come again...
30 mins: Henry Slade is stripped of the ball in midfield, and Argentina look to counter. Landajo is tackled by Ford, and Genge turns the ball over once again...
28 mins: Argentina win their lineout and keep tight to the left touchline. Their forwards try to force an opening, but England’s pack hold up again, and get the penalty. They have been the stronger pack so far.
Argentina 7-6 England (Ford penalty)
George Ford isn’t going to miss from there, and England are back to within a point.
25 mins: England edge into the 22, Lozowski at the heart of the move forward before Hartley tries to batter his way through and earns a penalty under the posts...
24 mins: England scrum, in the strip of shadow down their left flank. Launchbury offloads to Lozowski, whose looping pass is taken by Mike Brown...
22 mins: Ford and Sanchez exchange kicks before Argentina barrel forward – but Tuculet’s offload is spilled by Boffelli!
21 mins: A knock-on allows Ford to find touch, and earn England a little time in the opposing half. Curry is held up but switches play right to Ford, but the move breaks down.
20 mins: This is England’s first full international since that dispiriting defeat to Ireland back in March. It’s a very different side, of course, but this has been a determined start.
18 mins: The lineout ball is spilled, but England are slow to react, allowing Creevy to pinch it back. England’s front row stand strong, allowing Hartley to break up possession.
17 mins: Sanchez restarts, his deep kick into the corner worked to Ford, who clears to touch. Just 20% possession for England so far.
Argentina 7-3 England (Ford penalty)
To a chorus of jeers and whistles, George Ford lines up the kick close to the halfway line – and nails it!
14 mins: ...England slow them down, and a knock-on gives them a turnover advantage. Genge’s looping kick is collected by Sanchez, but Noguera is penalised for standing in front of the kicker.
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13 mins: England grab a welcome turnover, Tom Curry pouncing on the loose ball – but they give it away, Moroni collecting a poor pass...
11 mins: Penalty advantage for Argentina, and they try to take it quickly – but Martin Landajo slips in the shadow of Nathan Hughes.
9 mins: We’re playing in a football stadium, and Sanchez’s through-ball was worthy of any Argentina No10. Still, a troubling start for England.
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TRY! Argentina 7-0 England (Boffelli)
Argentina win the lineout, the forwards gain ground before Sanchez unlocks England with a delicate chip. Debutant Emiliano Boffelli collects the ball to go over, and the hosts lead! Sanchez tucks away the conversion.
7 mins: It’s been a slow, scrappy start, but Sanchez sets up a lineout inside the 22 from a penalty kick...
6 mins: After a false start, England earn a penalty as the front row lower the scrum. Good work from the England front row, not least Leicester’s Ellis Genge, earning just his second cap.
5 mins: A poor George Ford kick hands Argentina a prime spot for a scrum, underneath the posts and 22 metres out.
3 mins: Nicolas Sanchez lines up the kick, wide left from a manageable distance – but it drifts wide of the upright.
2 mins: England scrum, but referee Nigel Owens penalises No8 Nathan Hughes for coming through the scrum. An early indication of Argentina’s pack power, there.
1 min: England’s first phase falls apart as Marland Yarde spills the ball, allowing the hosts to turn the ball over.
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We're off!
George Ford kicks off on a cloudless day in San Juan.
The England team are out nice and early, in their navy away kits. They’re swiftly followed by the hosts in sky blue and white hoops – one of sport’s very finest strips, in my humble opinion. Time for the anthems, then we’ll be under way.
Some local colour from our man on the ground:
England preparing to take on Argentina in San Juan. Temperature hot. Atmosphere likewise pic.twitter.com/v1Xpuk9Qma
— Michael Aylwin (@mdmaylwin) June 10, 2017
Meanwhile, the view out the back of the stadium... pic.twitter.com/9M7hVsN6ZA
— Michael Aylwin (@mdmaylwin) June 10, 2017
Newcastle flanker Mark Wilson is making his debut today, alongside Sale’s 18-year-old Tom Curry. Wilson is in Argentina while his wife Amy is expecting their second child.
“It’s something I’ve been waiting for and working towards for a long time. She understands that and she was the first one to say ‘go ahead and enjoy it’. I know that she’s right behind that decision” says Wilson. He has waited a decade to get a cap, I suppose...
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The teams
England: M Brown (Harlequins), M Yarde (Harlequins), H Slade (Exeter), A Lozowski (Saracens), J May (Gloucester), G Ford (Bath), D Care (Harlequins); E Genge (Leicester), D Hartley (c, Northampton), H Williams (Exeter), J Launchbury (Wasps), C Ewels (Bath), M Wilson (Newcastle), T Curry (Sale), N Hughes (Wasps).
Replacements: J Singleton (Worcester), M Mullan (Wasps), W Collier (Harlequins), N Isiekwe (Saracens), D Armand (Exeter), J Maunder (Exeter), P Francis (Blues), D Solomona (Sale).
Argentina: J Tuculet, M Moroni, M Orlando, J de la Fuente, E Boffelli, N Sánchez, M Landajo; L Noguera, A Creevy (c), E Pieretto, M Alemanno, T Lavanini, P Matera, J Ortega Desio, JM Leguizamón.
Replacements: J Montoya, S García Botta, N Tetaz Chaparro, G Petti, L Senatore, G Bertanou, JM Hernández, R Moyano.,
All of Argentina’s squad play for Jaguares, the country’s representatives in Super Rugby.
Preamble
7,000 miles from Twickenham and 6,000 from the Lions’ current co-ordinates in New Zealand, Eddie Jones could scarcely have picked a spot further from the current rugby radar than San Juan to keep his England project ticking over.
Remote it may be, but this first Test of two in Argentina will be a fierce examination of Jones’ young, experimental squad, with 11 uncapped players among the 23 about to be tossed into a concrete cauldron at the foot of the Andes.
Tom Curry, Harry Williams, Mark Wilson and Alex Lozowski all make their first starts, with Danny Care, Mike Brown and Dylan Hartley – who is totally fine about not being in New Zealand instead – contributing more than half of the total caps.
Jones’ sides are well-drilled and solid up front regardless of the personnel, but their hosts will stretch that to the limit. Facing Argentina on their home turf is as tough a test of pack sturdiness as you’ll find anywhere in the world.
Kick off is at 8.15pm BST – 4.15pm in San Juan, where the temperature is pushing 26 degrees. Have fun out there, guys.
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