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Noah Caluori and Luke Northmore both scored twice as England A produced an emphatic victory over Argentina XV at the Rec.
On a night when England’s back line showcased plenty of attacking flair and free-flowing rugby, the hosts ran in nine tries to shrug off a dogged Argentina outfit.
Bath’s Max Ojomoh shone bright on his own turf and combined effortlessly with Northmore in a midfield partnership which showed plenty of promise for the future.
A young and inexperienced touring Argentina side hung tough in a see-sawing first half which yielded seven tries, but England found another gear after the break, with Jack Kenningham and Jamie Blamire among those on the scoresheet.
The hosts enjoyed a dream start when Caluori dotted down inside the opening two minutes, setting the tone for a helter-skelter first half.
Argentina responded magnificently and struck twice in quick succession, with Rodrigo Fernández Criado crashing over from a maul – for which Archie van der Flier copped a yellow card – and the visitors made the extra man count with a Pedro Delgado score.
With a full complement back on the pitch, the hosts levelled when Ojomoh struck from close range in his club stadium before England edged ahead through two flourishing backs moves.
The first came when Mark Mapletoft’s side executed a training-ground move off a scrum, with Ojomoh and Northmore linking up superbly before Charlie Atkinson raced through to score.
At a time when midfield inconsistency is a hot topic of conversation in Steve Borthwick’s squad, Harlequins’ centre Northmore and Ojomoh certainly impressed all evening in their respective roles.
England continued turning the screw and “Air Caluori”, who was lively all match on his wing, extended England’s lead with an acrobatic swan-dive over the whitewash. The hosts’ advantage would have been greater had it not been for a fine predatory score from Santiago Pernas before the break.
England, though, always looked more menacing and were rewarded for being more clinical in the second half with Kenningham, Blamire and Toby Elliot adding their names to the scoresheet.
The hosts finished with a flourish when Ojomoh and Northmore combined superbly again for England’s ninth and final score, with the Bath man’s no-look pass putting the Harlequin through a gap to race over to complete a resounding win.
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England ‘A’ are next in action in February, where they’ll take on Ireland A and Chile.
Here’s a reminder of all the action happening across the Nations Championship this weekend:
Tomorrow Italy v South Africa (KO 11.4oam) Scotland v New Zealand (KO 2.10pm) Wales v Japan (KO 4.40pm) France v Fiji (KO 8.10pm)
Sunday England v Australia (KO 3.10pm)
Argentina go forward one last time in search of a consolation score, but they can’t find one and that’s that.
It’s been an emphatic evening for this England ‘A’ side - they copped an early try and a yellow card early on but after that it was pretty plain sailing, even if Argentina toughed it out in a high-scoring first half.
Argentina, who are trying to muster a response, look almost certain to score but Tom Lockett does brilliantly to hold the visitors up.
From the drop-out England advance down the pitch - Ojomoh is making a nuisance of himself - and force Nicolás D’Amorim to knock on.
Ojomoh, with a no-look pass and pirouette, puts Northmore through a gap - the pair have showcased excellent telepathy all match - and the Harlequin is through again.
England’s backs are working in harmony once again. They bay numbers into the wide channel as Joe Carpenter exploits a gap and feeds Elliot outside him, who races over.
England break the half-century mark! The crowd at The Rec fully approve.
Both teams get through their bench and we’re into the last quarter. England look like they should see this through..but as I type a hole opens up deep in the hosts defence and Argentina look to strike from close range.
Billy Searle, on for Atkinson, puts in a brilliant cover tackle and forces the knock-on. The visitors have a scrum five-metres out but their hooker has had real issues all game with his break foot and England are given a free-kick and clear their lines.
England are sniffing the tryline and threatening to score another.. Ojomoh takes a thumping hit with a carry right to the line and England go through the phases, showcasing some crisp, clean offloading. Argentina are powerless and Northmore joins the try-fest.
Ooops, Hendy gets penalised for a hip-drop tackle - rugby’s latest law which kicks in this weekend - on Argentina fullback Tobías Wade and Argentina sense an opportunity with the penalty. They go to the corner, their maul is a bit dodgy, but they save it and Federico Serpa is over. The Pumas aren’t going away without a fight.
England’s juices are flowing and the hosts are going through the gears now. After a Fasogbon turnover, Atkinson finds Caluori in the air which leads to a promising attack. Argentina are miles offside - England kick to the corner - and the visitors’ vulnerabilities at set-piece time are once again exposed.
England’s maul gets chugging and with devastating ease, Blamire slides over in the corner!
We’re back underway. Caolan Englefield gets England going again with a great 50:22 to give the hosts some promising field position. Great bit of awareness from the Gloucester scrum-half. Argentina infringe at the lineout and England take a quick penalty.. England sweep to the short side through Caluori but he runs into a wall of blue shirts. The hosts, though, recycle quickly and Jack Kenningham pops over to score. England have a fifth! Atkinson misses his first of the night from the tee, but England’s 14-point lead is reinstated.
It’s the touring Argentine side that will go in bouncing at the break after that score. Wow, a breathless first forty which yielded just the seven tries..
Feels strange to have a 10-minute period without any scores.. Can England add a fifth before the break? The Pumas spill a high ball in their half but England get chewed up at the scrum, Englefield does enough to launch himself onto the
The hosts are on the back foot and Atkinson’s loose pass to Ojomoh doesn’t reach the Bath man, who is hustled and the ball is spilt backwards. Santiago Pernas rushes up and instinctively boots the ball downfield and chases his kick.. The Argentine back does brilliantly to scoop it up as it bobbles near the whitewash..and the visitors pull one back!
England have another! They capitalise on the momentum and Caluori is over for his second! The Saracens teenager started it all off by disrupting Argentina’s possession by getting himself in a passing lane as Agustín Fraga’s pass never reaches Santiago Pernas. A few phases later, Ojomoh finds Atkinson, who spins it to Atkinson and wheeling round on his shoulder is Caluori for an easy finish. Let’s just say he doesn’t exaggerate it..acrobatically swan diving over the line. Conversion added.
This really is end-to-end stuff, as England find some good space from a counter attack from the restart as Englefield finds Hendy out wide. Argentina snuff out the danger and it fizzles out, but the hosts really do look dangerous coming forward.
England win a scrum not too far out of Argentina’s 22 and set up a move straight off the training park.. Ojomoh is there as first receiver and ships it to Northmore, who muscles his way through contact before offloading to Atkinson, who races through to score! Slick stuff from England’s backs.
The Gloucester fly-half splits the uprights with his conversion. 25 mins played and we’ve seen five tries already..
Van der Flier is back on the field and it’s good timing - Enzo Ocampo infringes at a lineout deep in Argentina’s red zone.
The hosts throw in again but it sails over everyone - Atkinson is there to tidy up at the back and
Englefield bypasses Jack Kenningham and spins it out to Max Ojomoh, who is loitering dangerously close to the try line and bursts over for England’s second. Atkinson adds the extras and we’re level again.
England pour forward from the restart through Caolan Englefield and are in the danger zone again when Luke Northmore gets thumped as he tries to cut a line. Gutsy resistance from the visitors, who repel the pressure and manage to turn defence into attack by hoofing it downfield. Caluori scampers back to tidy up.
Harding is penalised for pre-latching onto Bamber before his teammate is tackled and Argentina have another penalty. They kick for the corner again, try to set up their maul, before launch a series of pick-and-goes and Pedro Delgado is down! Conversion is good from Serpa. A superb response from the visitors.
Argentina respond to going behind positively, earning some promising field position inside England’s 22. Afolabi Fasogbon strays offside and the visitors opt to kick for the corner and they set up their maul with no messing about. The maul twists and turns and England’s defence goes to pot and lock Rodrigo Fernández Criado crashes over. It’s a double whammy for the Pumas, as Archie Van der Flier is sent to the bin for an illegal side-entry. Federico Serpa adds the conversion. A helter-skelter start to this match.
An encouraging start from England, as Ben Bamber gathers the kick-off and passes to George Hendy, who makes inroads down his wing and the hosts rush up into the Pumas’ 22. Noah Caluori misses a pass out wide which is too high for him and a Puma toe-pokes the ball into touch.
England execute a clean line-out and quick hands sees Charlie Atkinson on the ball - Calouri loops around and the Gloucester fly-half spots him and sends him through the blue shirts.. And the Saracens winger touches down! Atkinson adds the extras.
.. and Argentina XV will sing their anthem, Himno Nacional Argentino, first.
Kiwi-born Hicks is poised to win his first representative cap for a pathway or senior England team. The flanker has been in terrific form for Newcastle since joining from Perpignan in the summer and has impressed with his industriousness at the breakdown. At 6ft 6in, he’s a giant of a player who made two appearances for New Zealand’s Maori All Blacks but with a Cornish mother, could qualify to represent England. He’s already on Steve Borthwick’s radar, but could he be a World Cup bolter?
Tonight’s ‘A’ squad features a number of experienced faces who have been going well in the Prem. Eight of the selected matchday squad are capped at senior men’s level, while 13 players have all been capped at U18 or U20 level for their country.
Noah Caluori, Charlie Atkinson, Tobias Elliot, Afo Fasogbon, Nathan Jibulu, Jack Kenningham and George Kloska were all involved in Steve Borthwick’s 26-player training squad ahead of the England XV v France XV match in June this year.
You have to wonder what George Hendy, who scored 18 tries across all competitions for Northampton Saints last season (and already has four under his belt in this year’s campaign) has to do to break into Steve Borthwick’s official squad. Alas, he starts on the wing tonight at The Rec.
Fitz Harding, Bristol’s ball-wrecking No 8, might also feel hard done by but then the back row is an area where England aren’t exactly under-resourced. Joining him in a promising back row is Ethan Roots, the Exeter blindside flanker who is yet to add to the four senior England caps he won during the 2024 Six Nations.
Elsewhere, Saracens’ wonderkid Noah Caluori is on the wing, while Gloucester’s high-flying half-back pairing of Charlie Atkinson and Caolan Englefield will look to replicate their club form in a white jersey.
A few other names miss out - Gloucester fullback George Barton and Will Trenholm spring to mind - which suggests the supply lines to England’s senior team are in fine nick.
Replacements: N Jibulu, A O’Driscoll, G Kloska, T Lockett, M Hicks, L Friday, B Searle, T Elliott.
Hello and welcome to our live coverage of England ‘A’ against Argentina XV.
With the second part of the Nations Championship upon us, a cracking weekend of Test rugby awaits and what better way to kick things off with this curtain-raiser at The Rec, where England ‘A’ take on Argentina XV.
Fitz Harding captains tonight’s side for a second time and leads a group of players who have all been flying high for their respective clubs in the Prem. The Bristol Bear makes his fourth appearance at England ‘A’ level this evening and having led the side to a 29-25 victory over Spain in Valladolid last November, resumes the captaincy.
“This group has shown excellent determination in a short training week, and we’re excited to see them come together for the first time this season at The Rec,” said Mark Mapletoft, the England ‘A’ head coach.
“The programme continues to play an important role in strengthening our pathway, giving players the chance to make a difference in an England shirt while continuing their development in a high-performance environment.
“We’d also like to congratulate Fitz on leading the side for a second time; he has consistently demonstrated outstanding leadership qualities, sets high standards for those around him, and is a respected figure who brings the group together both on and off the field.”
Kick-off is coming up at 7.45pm, with live coverage on the England Rugby YouTube channel and Premier Sports, or you can follow along here.
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