by By Paul Eddison, Sportsbeat
England has to prove that they can cope with Argentina’s transitional game if they are supposed to succeed in Los Pumas, according to head coach Steve Borthwick.
Borthwick and his team flew to South America to achieve a two-test series against the five-desk side of the world before they traveled to Washington DC to take over the United States.
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And every danger that they could take the task easy was deleted on Friday evening when Argentina ran 28-24 against the British and Irish Lions in Dublin in three attempts in a historical victory in their opening games.
Even without some important players in France, including the future Harlequins Second Roe Guido Petti and the Toulouse duo Juan Cruz Mallia and Santiago Chocobares, Argentina were fatal with sales ball.
The former winger of Exeter Chiefs, Santiago Cordero, achieved the winning sales from one step that began in his own half, while Santiago Carreras from Gloucester was heavily involved in another long -distance attempt by Tomas Albornoz.
This ability to strike out of nowhere was not unnoticed by Borthwick, whose English team had warmed up for their tour with a narrow defeat against a France XV in the Allianz Stadium.
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He said: Argentina is an enthusiastic, committed team that quickly scores in the transition. They changed their strategy in some areas against the lions and in the end they had some options and used them really well and took them quickly.
“It is a big challenge. It is one that we look forward to, and this group of players is really enthusiastic about the chance of going to Argentina and kicking against a really good team.”
In the non-cultivated game against France, England jumped back from an early 12-0 deficit to return with 24: 12 in front of the wing player Immanuel Feyi-Waboso, a 20-minute red card for a high duel.
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It looked like it was enough to win, but France has returned sharply in the last 10 minutes and two attempts to achieve the victory.
Nevertheless, Borthwick was pleased about the way his team – with five unclassed players in the game fight – was able to take control of the encounter.
He said: “The reaction after a few points against us, the answer and control over the game. Tactical, for about 55-60 minutes, I thought that the team was very good and we looked very dangerous. If you look at the 22 entries and the number of punishments that had granted the opposition near her line, it gave us a bit in our selection of the games.
“While we are disappointed in the end and in the last 10 minutes of the scoreboard, this will be positive in the development of this young group.”
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