 Argentina's 2006 win at Twickenham was their first away defeat of England |
England will play the second Test of their two-match summer series against Argentina away in the city of Salta. The Padre Ernesto Martearena Stadium will host the two sides on 13 June, a week after they meet at Old Trafford. Both games were originally to be played in South America, but Argentina requested that the series be split to help them maximise revenues. Despite finishing third in the 2007 World Cup, the Pumas lack regular top-level international opposition.  | 606: DEBATE |
Tentative plans to incorporate them into the Six Nations or the southern hemisphere's Tri-Nations have been delayed by the International Rugby Board's demand that the majority of their players be based domestically, and by long-standing commercial deals. The series against England is part of a commitment to increase Argentina's involvement in world rugby, with nine Tests a year and entry into the annual Churchill Cup. Their last meeting with England in 2006 returned a 25-18 victory at Twickenham, a defeat that contributed to the demise of Andy Robinson as head coach after a dismal run of results. Argentina will hope to build on victory in their only other international at the Padre Ernesto Martearena when they beat Italy 35-21 in 2005. Meanwhile Prime Minister Gordon Brown has lent his support to England's bid to host the Rugby World Cup in 2015. "I believe that rugby is one of the great sports and I also believe we can win the Rugby World Cup this country in 2015," he told RFU officials at the launch of the organisation's Injured Players Foundation. "I hope that you will be able to persuade other countries that the Rugby World Cup should come here." England are competing with South Africa and Japan for the right to stage the tournament with Scotland and Italy both registering their interest ahead of a possible formal submission.
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