by England Fly-Half George Ford celebrated its 100th test with an influential exhibition at the 35:12 victory on Saturday against Argentina in La Plata.
The 32 -year -old Ford took 15 points and supported one of the four attempts in England when Steve Borthwick’s team won the second and last test of the series next Saturday.
Advertising
The hosts stayed 22-0 after 50 minutes before they had crossed twice in a disappointing performance after defeating the British and Irish lions in their last game.
The Argentine head coach Felipe Contepomi made seven changes on July 20 against the Lions when No 8 Facundo Isa started the game in his first international appearance since October 2023.
The English boss Borthwick was with the Lions, including Captain Maro Itoje, without 13 election players, as Center Seb Atkinson and Winger Will Muir celebrated their international debuts.
Ford ran out of a full amount of an enemy Estadio Jorge Luis Hirschi before becoming the eighth male player who reached the Century of England Test appearances after making his debut in 2014.
Advertising
The Pumas from Contepomi controlled a poorly disciplined opening area from England when flanking Alex Coles was shown a yellow card, but they could not make their dominance optimal.
Ford opened the gate after 21 minutes with Coles in front of the field by landing the seventh drop goal of his English career.
Atkinson followed Coles in the trash can, but Ford’s clinical efforts were the only points of the first half.
Ford’s influence on the encounter was further illustrated when he played a crucial role in the establishment of the full-back Freddie Steward with a vintage pass from the break between two efforts by the wing player Tom Roebuck.
Advertising
The attempted comeback of the hosts was started by Flanker Pablo Matera on his 110th cap after 52 minutes ahead of Lock Pedro Rubiolo when they lowered the deficit to 10 points.
Her hopes for victory were then overthrown when Ford added two more punishments and the winger Cadan Murley crept in the last quarter when England won a third game in a row against Argentina, a run that started three drop goals two years ago with Fords.
Bur-IWD/NF
