England team to face Argentina: Henry Pollock finally starts

Monday, 13 July 2026 at 18:10

byCharlie Elliott

England could hardly have asked for a better second game of their Nations Championship campaign after cruising to a 73-8 victory over Fiji.

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The emphatic win has given Steve Borthwick plenty to be pleased about, but a much sterner challenge awaits against Argentina this weekend. With tougher opposition on the horizon, the England head coach has several key selection decisions to make.

15 Marcus Smith

After an impressive cameo at scrum-half against Fiji, Smith should return to full-back, a role he has filled regularly for England.

It may not be his preferred position, but he offers a genuine attacking threat from deep while remaining dependable under the high ball. With George Furbank unavailable through injury, he is England's strongest option in the position.

14 Tommy Freeman

Freeman had a relatively quiet outing against Fiji, but that should not overshadow his quality. He has earned the opportunity to build consistency in the side.

Noah Caluori impressed from the bench on his debut, but Freeman deserves to keep the starting shirt.

13 Henry Slade

Slade delivered a strong performance against Fiji and formed an encouraging partnership with Seb Atkinson in midfield. His playmaking ability, experience and all-round skill set make him well suited to Test rugby.

England have regularly changed their centre combination, but Slade and Atkinson look to complement each other and should be given an extended run together.

12 Seb Atkinson

Atkinson combined effectively with Slade and produced another assured display. He brings balance to the midfield with his running game, distribution and defensive work. His performances merit another start.

11 Immanuel Feyi-Waboso

There is little debate over Feyi-Waboso's place in the side. He is a dynamic winger with all the qualities needed to thrive at international level.

10 Fin Smith

Fin Smith has established himself as England's leading fly-half option. He combines composure with intensity and controls games with confidence, making him difficult for opponents to contain.

9 Jack van Poortvliet

With Alex Mitchell sidelined, the competition is between Ben Spencer, Jack van Poortvliet and the recently called up Raffi Quirke.

Van Poortvliet appears to be Steve Borthwick's preferred choice, making him the likely starter. While there is room for improvement and some criticism of his kicking game has been justified, he remains a reliable option.

1 Ellis Genge

England's standout loosehead prop and the clear first choice in the position.

2 Luke Cowan-Dickie

Jamie George is captain and is likely to start, but Cowan-Dickie's impact from the bench against Fiji deserves recognition.

He brought energy and aggression when he entered the game, and with hookers often sharing the workload evenly, he has earned the opportunity to start.

3 Joe Heyes

England's strongest tighthead prop and the obvious selection.

4 Alex Coles

The second row pairing of Coles and George Martin were not heavily tested against Fiji, so it is difficult to draw firm conclusions. Their contrasting attributes work well together and they deserve another opportunity as a partnership.

5 George Martin

Martin provides the power in England's engine room and complements the more athletic Coles effectively.

6 Ollie Chessum

Chessum at blindside flanker gives England a pack that combines physicality with mobility. He covers plenty of ground, does the hard work that often goes unnoticed and adds extra steel alongside two more dynamic back row teammates.

7 Henry Pollock

Pollock's hat trick against Fiji made a compelling case for only his second England start. He has consistently made an impact from the bench and has shown he can rise to the occasion.

Beyond the excitement surrounding him, Pollock is an outstanding talent who deserves the opportunity to establish himself on the international stage, even in the challenging environment of Argentina.

8 Ben Earl

Earl has performed consistently well at number eight and has done nothing to lose his place.

His ball carrying alongside Pollock would give England a powerful and highly mobile back row, capable of covering the field effectively while posing a constant attacking threat.

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