Preview of the England vs Argentina Third-Place Play-off at Rugby World Cup 2023: Team News, Match Analysis, and Statistics

England Set for the Third-Place Play-Off Clash against Argentina

This Friday, England will conclude their World Cup campaign with a match against Argentina in the third-place play-off. Interestingly, this is the same team they faced at the beginning of this tournament.

In their Pool D opener, George Ford’s exceptional performance led England to a remarkable victory over Argentina with a scoreline of 27-10. Despite being reduced to 14 players during that game, England managed to dominate and secure an impressive win.

After advancing through the quarter-finals by defeating Fiji, Steve Borthwick’s side unfortunately fell short in the semi-final clash against South Africa. Nevertheless, achieving a third-place finish would still be considered successful for England considering their initial ranking of eighth in the world prior to the tournament due to some disappointing outcomes.

On the other hand, Argentina displayed resilience by overcoming Wales in their quarter-final encounter but were subsequently outclassed by New Zealand in the semi-finals. A bronze medal for them would equal their best-ever World Cup finish when they secured third place back in France during 2007.

The Controversies Surrounding Tom Curry and Ben Youngs’ Selections

An interesting subplot surrounds Tom Curry as he retains his starting position despite being sent off just three minutes into his previous clash with Argentina and facing accusations involving racial slurs directed towards him during England’s semi-final loss against South Africa. The investigation carried out by World Rugby concluded that there was insufficient evidence surrounding these claims.

In terms of changes made within both teams’ line-ups, Marcus Smith returns as full-back after missing out on England’s defeat against South Africa, while Henry Arundell is recalled on the wing. Scrum-half Ben Youngs will make his first start of the tournament in what will also be his final appearance for England before retiring from international rugby.

As for Argentina, they have made three changes to their squad since their semi-final encounter with New Zealand. Pedro Rubiolo secures a starting position in the second-row, Tomas Cubelli is named as scrum-half, and Jeronimo de la Fuente will occupy the inside centre spot.

The Starting Line-ups

England Starting XV: Smith; Steward, Marchant, Tuilagi, Arundell; Farrell (capt), Youngs; Genge, Dan Stuart Itoje Chessum Curry Underhill Earl. Replacements: George Rodd Cole Ribbans Ludlam Care Ford Lawrence.

Argentina Starting XV: Mallia; Boffelli Cinti De la Fuente M Carreras S Carreras Cubelli Gallo Montoya (capt) Kodela Pagadizabal Rubiolo Gonzalez Kremer Isa. Replacements: Creevy Sclavi Bello Alemanno Bruni Velez Sanchez Moroni.

Final Words from Coaches and Players

Richard Wigglesworth, England’s attack coach expressed satisfaction with the team’s progress throughout the World Cup. He emphasized that if they perform well on Friday and execute their game plan effectively against Argentina, they stand a good chance of leaving the tournament with tangible rewards and a sense of accomplishment despite not reaching their ultimate goal.

In contrast to Wigglesworth’s sentiments about this match not being where both teams aimed to be at this stage of the competition, Michael Cheika, Argentina’s head coach highlighted how winning third place holds significant importance. For him, achieving a bronze medal would not only demonstrate their highest finish at the World Cup but also contribute to the experience and legacy of the most seasoned players within the squad.

Centre Jeronimo de la Fuente acknowledged that winning a medal has its own significance, as it distinguishes them from those who did not achieve such an accomplishment. He believes that securing victory in this match will bring different emotions compared to returning home empty-handed. Winning a medal is undoubtedly meaningful for both personal and collective reasons.