England head coach Stuart Lancaster has put his faith in the youngest back division his side has fielded for 14 years as they bid to win the Test series against Argentina 2-0.
With Billy Twelvetrees off the tour after being called up by the British and Irish Lions Lancaster has promoted 23-year old rugby league convert Kyle Eastmond from the bench to play at inside centre in Buenos Aires on Saturday.
In one other change from the starting line up for the first Test in Salta, which England won 32-3, London Irish winger Marland Yarde will make his international debut.
The combined age of the England backs is 166 years and they boast just 34 caps between them – with Eastmond the oldest three-quarter at 23 and scrum-half Lee Dickson the senior man at 28.
In 1999 against Wales at Wembley England fielded a back division with a total age of 163 years.
“It has definitely got an X-factor to it, the back line,” Lancaster told reporters at the team hotel in Buenos Aires.
“But as we all know there’s definitely going to be a reaction from the Argentina side and what laid the foundation for our performance last week was our set piece.
“Our scrum was good, our lineout was good, we turned over their lineout and created turnover ball and counter-attacking opportunities. You only get to see the talent to shine through if you get your fundamentals right: the physicality, the contact area, the defence and the set piece.
“We will also have to deal with what I am sure will be a highly motivated Argentinean side.”
Eastmond’s promotion comes after just one full season in rugby union having made his name in rugby league with St Helens and England.
But Lancaster is confident he will slip easily into the role filled effectively by Twelvetrees in last Saturday’s Test match.
Lancaster added: “He is pretty quiet off the field but he has got a strong sense self-belief in his own ability which shines through on the training field and he is a dominant player on the field.
“He needs to be a decision maker and as a key organiser you need to have an effective communication and he has got that. He made the change from rugby league to rugby union to play international rugby union and club rugby at the highest level so he is excited by the opportunity.
“The timing of passing and range of passing he has got is exceptional and the challenge is to translate that into a game. The way we want to play should allow him to express himself and show those talents and it is the next step for him to prove he can do it.”
If Lancaster’s men win they will become the first English side to win a series in Argentina 2-0. Bill Beaumont’s team of 1981 won one Test and drew the other.
Lancaster puts faith in youthful England
