Come on down: Paul Hodgson
Where else to start than with those dreaded injuries. England had and still have some but Argentina will be in a league of their own at Twickenham.
Losing the two Juan Martíns, Hernández and Leguizamon, would wound any international animal and that should be the case on Saturday.
Or will it?
Still possessing a spring in their step after being accepted into an expanded Four Nations with New Zealand, Australia and South Africa from 2012, the 2007 surprise package will believe they can claim successive victories over their rivals.
Reasons for this is that they still boast one of the most powerful packs in world rugby, notably in the front and back-row. And England it seems have recognised this fact by rolling out what is arguably their strongest available autumn pack.
Changes in behind have been made, however, and there is a rare start for London Irish scrum half Paul Hodgson alongside Jonny Wilkinson, who rates the Pumas right up their with the game's best on form alone, even without some star names.
"Hernandez and Contepomi are world class players but you just don't do that with Argentina," he said in a warning to his team-mates.
"Too many people have learned that lesson. That was supposedly their second team but when you get on the field you realise it was nothing of the sort.
"England probably underestimated them at Twickenham in 2006.
"They were underestimated at the 2007 World Cup (when they beat hosts France twice before finishing third) and they were underestimated in the 2005 Lions tour opener.
"You know the team they put out will be damn good."
Backtracking to June if we may when these two shared a two-Test series after games in Manchester and Salta, and one could view this as a decider. But in many's opinion, there is so much more on the line due to Argentina having won the last time they were in the capital.
This is their first international of a tour that includes Tests against Wales and Scotland over the coming weeks. And if the Pumas do win, it will be seen as proof there is still a place in the modern game for an 'old-school' approach. It will also lead to more anguish within English rugby and unbridled joy just about everywhere else.
Serious questions would be asked again of not only the players but the coaching staff that Team Manager Martin Johnson has at his disposal, with an in-form Wilkinson citing a need for a more attack-minded approach this time around.
"We want to score tries," said the refreshed Toulon general.
Meanwhile, opposing centre and Harlequins favourite Gonzalo Tiesi is expecting England to come out all guns blazing following last week's Australian defeat and knows that Wilkinson is the key component to England's gameplan.
"England were beaten in the contact area (against the Wallabies) and in the physicality and they will touch their pride a little bit," he said.
"It was defence that won Australia the game. If we can put them under pressure and keep Jonny Wilkinson controlled it will be a different game."
Yes there are other international clashes that will command the hungry viewer's attention slightly more, but this one has more subplots and sidenotes than The Da Vinci Code.
Ones to watch:
For England: Billed by many as the best scrum-half defender for his covering work down at London Irish, Paul Hodgson is finally given a chance to shine alongside Jonny Wilkinson this Saturday. Actually scrap just being the strongest tackler, Hodgson has arguably been the best nine in the Guinness Premiership over recent seasons. Watch him go.
For Argentina: The Pumas are blessed with so much raw talent in their back-line and the ever-improving Gonzalo Tiesi will surely be a key man in how they fair at Twickenham. However, I have opted for fearless Dax winger Lucas Borges' one-on-one ability to cause Matt Banahan a few problems. Go on then, I'll use it...David verus Goliath?
Head-to-head: Both back and front-row match-ups will prove the battle ground for large parts of this rivalry and the collision between James Haskell and Juan Fernandez Lobbe should be very interesting. Two strong runners with ball in-hand but Lobbe's leadership and knowhow should see him through, with the now Parisian Englishman needing to pull it out of the bag for a full 80.
Recent results:
2009: Argentina won 24-22 in Salta
2009: England won 37-15 in Manchester
2006: Argentina won 25-18 at Twickenham
2002: England won 26-18 in Buenos Aires
2000: England won 19-0 at Twickenham
1997: Argentina won 33-13 in Buenos Aires
1997: England won 46-20 in Buenos Aires
1996: England won 20-18 at Twickenham
1995: England won 24-18 in Durban
1990: England won 51-0 at Twickenham
Prediction: How different things could have been if Hernández, Leguizamon, Amorosino and the Contepomi brothers jumped out from the Argentina team sheet? They do not. England to cruise in the end by 16 points!
The teams:
England: 15 Ugo Monye, 14 Mark Cueto, 13 Danny Hipkiss, 12 Shane Geraghty, 11 Matt Banahan, 10 Jonny Wilkinson, 9 Paul Hodgson, 8 James Haskell, 7 Lewis Moody, 6 Tom Croft, 5 Steve Borthwick (c), 4 Louis Deacon, 3 Duncan Bell, 2 Dylan Hartley, 1 Tim Payne.
Replacements: 16 Steve Thompson, 17 Paul Doran-Jones, 18 Courtney Lawes, 19 Joe Worsley, 20 Danny Care, 21 Andy Goode, 22 Ayoola Erinle.
Argentina: 15 Horacio Agulla, 14 Lucas Borges, 13 Gonzalo Tiesi, 12 Martin Rodriguez, 11 Mauro Comuzzi, 10 Santiago Fernandez, 9 Alfredo Lalanne, 8 Juan Fernandez Lobbe (c), 7 Alfredo Abadie, 6 Tomas Leonardi, 5 Patricio Albacete, 4 Esteban Lozada, 3 Martin Scelzo, 2 Mario Ledesma, 1 Rodrigo Roncero.
Replacements: 16 Alberto Vernet Basualdo, 17 Marcos Ayerza, 18 Manuel Carizza, 19 Alejandro Campos, 20 Agustin Figuerola, 21 Benjamin Urdapilleta, 22 Federico Martin Aramburu.
Date: Saturday, November 14
Venue: Twickenham
Kick-off: 14.30 GMT
Referee: Nigel Owens (Wales)
Assistant referees: Alan Lewis (Ireland), Peter Allan (Scotland)
TMO: Hugh Watkins (Wales)
By Mike Chadwick
Comments
catchyname says...
england need to perform in this if they are to be considered contenders for 2010 six nations. a poor performance will send them into disaray!
Posted 04:18 14th November 2009
Gabriel says...
16 points difference I think is a bit much. They should give more credibility to the Pumas.
Posted 16:37 13th November 2009
nikid40 says...
Would love to see both these teams at full strength. Not least of all to see Wilkinson and Hernandez battle it out. However, although England have more injuries there depth is showing compared to Argentina's lack there of.
The Argentine tight five is superior to England's but the poms have got them everywhere else on the park. Will be nice when Albacete teaches Borthwick "how to be a good lock 101".
Posted 10:05 13th November 2009