Christian Wade & Matt Kvesic set for England debut against Argentina
Argentina v England: Christian Wade and Matt Kvesic will win their first caps for the Red Rose against the Puma on Saturday
Christian Wade and Matt Kvesic will win their first England caps against Argentina in the first Test of the two-match series on Saturday.
London Wasps wing Wade, 21, and Worcester Warriors flanker Kvesic, 22, are set to make their Test debuts against the Pumas at the Estadio Padre Ernesto Martearena in Salta.
England head coach Stuart Lancaster has also placed uncapped trio, Bath centre Kyle Eastmond, Sale Sharks prop Henry Thomas and London Wasps back row forward Billy Vunipola, on the replacements bench.
Elsewhere, Gloucester fly-half Freddie Burns and Bath duo, Rob Webber and Dave Attwood, all start a full international for the first time.
“It is great to have so many young players pushing through and to be able to give them their opportunities on this tour,” said Lancaster.
“It is a young England side but one with a great deal of ability and self-belief and it will be great to see how they perform in the intensity of Test match rugby.
“Facing Argentina in front of their home crowd in Salta will be a tough challenge but we are looking forward to it and I am sure the players will give their all for the shirt.”
England team to face Argentina: Mike Brown (Harlequins, 16 caps); Christian Wade (Wasps, uncapped), Jonathan Joseph (London Irish, 4 caps), Billy Twelvetrees (Gloucester Rugby, 4 caps), David Strettle (Saracens, 13 caps); Freddie Burns (Gloucester Rugby, 1 cap), Lee Dickson (Northampton Saints, 7 caps); Joe Marler (Harlequins, 10 caps), Rob Webber (Bath Rugby, 3 caps), David Wilson (Bath Rugby, 26 caps), Joe Launchbury (London Wasps, 9 caps), Dave Attwood (Bath Rugby, 2 caps), Tom Wood (Northampton Saints, 18 caps, captain), Matt Kvesic (Worcester Warriors, uncapped), Ben Morgan (Gloucester Rugby, 10 caps).
Replacements: David Paice (London Irish, 6 caps), Paul Doran Jones (Northampton Saints, 4 caps), Henry Thomas (Sale Sharks, uncapped), Courtney Lawes (Northampton Saints, 20 caps), Billy Vunipola (London Wasps, uncapped), Richard Wigglesworth (Saracens, 12 caps), Kyle Eastmond (Bath Rugby, uncapped), Ben Foden (Northampton Saints, 30 caps).
