Argentina vs England: Nations Championship in Santiago

When & Where?

The clash is scheduled for Saturday, 18 July, kicking off at 8.10 pm BST at the Estadio Único Madre de Ciudades in Santiago del Estero, Argentina.

How to Watch in the UK

ITV will broadcast the match live, with coverage beginning at 7.30 pm BST. A live stream is also available via ITVX for UK viewers.

Team News

Argentina’s squad mixes youthful talent with seasoned internationals, highlighted by tighthead Tomas Rapetti starting and locks Guido Petti and Matias Alemanno each celebrating 100 caps recently. Veteran centre Matias Moroni adds experience, while six forwards—including Efrain Elias, a 2023 Top 14 winner with Toulouse—are named among the replacements. The Argentine XV features Mayco Vivas at full‑back, Julian Montoya captain at hooker, and a back‑row of Santiago Grondona, Marcos Kremer and Joaquin Oviedo.

England head coach Steve Borthwick has kept the starting line‑up unchanged, resisting calls to move Benhard Janse van Rensburg into the centres. Seb Atkinson and Henry Slade retain their places, and Henry Pollock and Noah Caluori stay on the bench after impressive performances against Fiji. Two bench alterations see Ben Spencer replace the injured Alex Mitchell, and uncapped loosehead Emmanuel Iyogun named for a possible debut.

Background & Context

This fixture closes the first phase of the Nations Championship and follows a week of intense sport between the two nations, with Argentina’s footballers enjoying success at the World Cup and England aiming to build on recent wins in South America and over Fiji. Tensions remain after a November clash at Twickenham, where a late tackle infuriated the Argentine camp and prompted head coach Felipe Contepomi to label Tom Curry a “bully.” England’s victories in South America last summer and their recovery from a losing streak give them confidence, while Argentina’s blend of experience and emerging talent positions them as strong contenders for the tournament’s opening stage.