England v Argentina: Twickenham"s great history will give players inspiration ...

“The mindset is that this is Twickenham, this is our home ground, we are going

to control what happens here today,” said hooker Dylan Hartley, at the

centre of a newly constituted front row and one of four changes in the

starting XV with Danny Care coming on to the bench for the injured Ben

Youngs on Friday.

“I don’t think it is pressure, I think it is excitement. We have turned a

corner in that regard. That negative feeling of pressure is not like it used

to be. We thrive on being here. The changing rooms are fantastic. The wall

is in your face, it is bright, white and shiny.

“When you look closely the history is there. There is decade after decade of

who played that year and their Test cap number. My name is on there and you

look right back to the start and the first-ever England players and they are

on there. You have your peg with your name and there is a list of the other

great hookers to have played there.

“It makes you connect with the shirt and makes you realise you are not just

playing a game of rugby, that you are part of something. It brings you

tighter as a group and you get an emotional connection with the players

around you.”

<sup>Shuttle run: Dylan Hartley (bottom right) leads the way as England’s

players train at Twickenham</sup>

The England project is well under way, with eight wins in the last nine games,

five of them at Twickenham, their best return there since the glory days of

2003. So many coaches duck questions about setting targets, hiding behind

the virtue of performance. Head coach Stuart Lancaster has changed tack,

revealing that he wants his side to be ranked second in the world by the end

of the season. That target is beyond them this weekend although an England

win (over a side ranked 10th, thereby carrying fewer ranking points), and a

Wales victory over second-placed South Africa, could mean they tilt for that

coveted spot against market leaders New Zealand next week.

“To make second we have to keep making progress,” said Lancaster. “That is why

Argentina is a game we must win. We’re actually close to achieving it ahead

of schedule. I like to set outcome goals as well as performance goals.

Anything you can use to give the players an extra sense of motivation and

reason why the next game is important, you use it.”

Lancaster is aware of the perils of getting ahead of himself. However, he also

recognises the importance of England sending out a signal to the rest of the

world a couple of years out from a home World Cup. Argentina may have

toppled down the rankings from their high point of 2007 when they were

third, but much of that is a factor of playing, and losing, against the best

sides in the world in the Rugby Championship.

They arrive here battle-hardened, albeit fatigued, and without two key men in

back-row forward Juan Martín Fernández Lobbe and full-back Juan Martín

Hernández. They have also lost tighthead Juan Figallo, less celebrated than

the other pair, but one who has no less of an impact. Argentina can cover

his loss, though, and will test England’s resolve at the scrummage. Prop

Marcos Ayerza, lock Patricio Albacete and No8 Juan Martín Leguizamón are

world-class operators while new-boy flanker Pablo Matera, recently arrived

at Leicester, is a diamond.

England, though, have strength in depth. The promoted front row are willing

and able, looking to keep the opposition quiet and rivals for their own

places at bay. The England bench is loaded with experience, five Lions

itching to get on. There is plenty at stake. England’s attack needs to be

sharper and Billy Twelvetrees, after a disappointing performance against

Australia, has to show that he is the man for the No12 shirt.

“Billy is a strong character and we expect a bounce-back,” said skills coach

Mike Catt. “He has to learn to be patient and not rush to make amends for

everything.”

Argentina come in search of restoring morale after a string of defeats. They

will be feisty and hard-nosed. They will pose problems but if England are to

enhance their credibility they have to be dispatched, and with conviction.

They look equipped to do just that.

Article source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-union/24865350

England v Argentina: Twickenham"s great history will give players inspiration ...