PARIS (AP) — Flanker Sam Underhill will make his first England appearance in more than a year and winger Henry Arundell his second of the Rugby World Cup in the third-place game against Argentina on Friday.
England has undergone eight changes after the semifinal was lost to South Africa 16-15 last Saturday.
“It is our second six-day turnaround in a row, we’ve had some pretty intense games so there was a need to make some alterations to ensure we have the energy and intensity we require against a strong team,” coach Steve Borthwick said on Wednesday.
Argentina changed only three players after losing its semifinal to New Zealand 44-6 last Friday.
Lock Pedro Rubiolo, scrumhalf Tomas Cubelli and inside center Jeronimo de la Fuente have been brought in. Those three and reserve flyhalf Nicolas Sanchez are also the only changes to the Pumas side which lost to England 27-10 on the opening weekend.
Underhill joined the England squad two weeks ago as a replacement for the injured Jack Willis. He was one of the 2019 stars in England’s run to the final in Japan but this test will be his first since July 2022 against Australia.
Arundell will have a chance at England’s World Cup try-scoring record of six by Chris Ashton in 2011. In his only appearance in France five weeks ago, Arundell scored a record-tying five tries against Chile in the 71-0 pool win in Lille.
England will field a new front row of Ellis Genge, Theo Dan and tighthead Will Stuart, who will make his first World Cup start after three games off the bench.
Ollie Chessum replaces George Martin to partner Maro Itoje in the second row, and Tom Curry has shifted to the blindside flank to make way for Underhill, reprising the dual sevens that England used so well in 2019.
Curry will earn his 50th England cap from his 49th start in a week when World Rugby is investigating his allegation of being subject to a racial slur by South Africa’s Bongi Mbonambi last weekend in their semifinal.
Borthwick said he considered resting Curry until he talked to the flanker.
“I chatted to Tom early in the week. It was around how he is physically because the way Tom plays he has more involvements than any other player on the pitch,” Borthwick said.
“Everyone saw when I took him off on Saturday night, he was cut, bloodied. It’s another six-day turnaround. He looked straight at me and point blank said, ‘I am desperate to play on Friday night.’ This is a guy who wants to play. There is no doubt in my mind. The way he has prepared himself has been incredible. That is Tom Curry. I couldn’t be more proud of him.”
The retiring Ben Youngs has his first start in his fourth World Cup and will play his 127th and last test for England. He combines with captain Owen Farrell in the halves for the first time since the 2021 Six Nations.
“He has played an important role in this squad, helping (fellow scrumhalf) Alex Mitchell and the team progress through the tournament,” Borthwick said. “He is a brilliant player and a fantastic team man.”
Marcus Smith has returned to fullback, where he started a test for the first time in the quarterfinal win against Fiji, and regular fullback Freddie Steward has slid over to the wing in place of Jonny May.
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Lineups:
Argentina: Juan Cruz Mallia, Emiliano Boffelli, Lucio Cinti, Jeronimo de la Fuente, Mateo Carreras, Santiago Carreras, Tomas Cubelli; Facundo Isa, Marcos Kremer, Juan Martin Gonzalez, Pedro Rubiolo, Guido Petti, Francisco Gómez Kodela, Julian Montoya (captain), Thomas Gallo. Reserves: Agustín Creevy, Joel Sclavi, Eduardo Bello, Matias Alemanno, Rodrigo Bruni, Lautaro Bazan Velez, Nicolas Sanchez, Matías Moroni.
England: Marcus Smith, Freddie Steward, Joe Marchant, Manu Tuilagi, Henry Arundell, Owen Farrell (captain), Ben Youngs; Ben Earl, Sam Underhill, Tom Curry, Ollie Chessum, Maro Itoje, Will Stuart, Theo Dan, Ellis Genge. Reserves: Jamie George, Bevan Rodd, Dan Cole, David Ribbans, Lewis Ludlam, Alex Mitchell, George Ford, Ollie Lawrence.
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AP Rugby World Cup: https://apnews.com/hub/rugby
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