Thursday, July 16, 2026

England move Buenos Aires base to avoid potential World Cup party

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Borthwick’s side, who watched the game in a conference room in their hotel, will now instead stay in a hotel near Buenos Aires international airport on the southern outskirts on Sunday night.

“I wouldn’t suggest that everybody got a great night’s sleep last night – there were still fireworks going off at 4am this morning,” Borthwick said.

“Most of us were on the other side of the hotel and earplugs were issued to everybody, so we were prepared.

“I went up to the hotel terrace that overlooks the street fairly late and there were still a load of players just watching it and just taking it in. People jumping up and down for hours in the streets. Fireworks going off. It was something to see.

“We’d obviously all wanted England to win but one of the experiences of touring is seeing a spectacle like that in a different part of the world.”

England flanker Henry Pollock added to the decibels in the hours before Wednesday’s match, with footage emerging of the 21-year-old back row taunting local football fans gathering for the match in Plaza de la Republica.

The incident took place at England returned from a training session to their hotel on a bus. Footage showed Pollock goading fans from the upper windows, giving them a thumbs down, sticking out his tongue and waving and shushing.

Argentina fans responded with gestures of their own, with one punching the bus windows.

“Henry’s full of character,” Borthwick said. “We want character in our game and we want character in our squad.

“This squad really embraces what he brings. It takes all kinds of different personalities and we’ve got some players who wouldn’t do that and then you’ve got Henry who would go and do that.

“We embrace it. I think it was done in good nature and it came from a very good place.”

England have won nine of their past 10 meetings with the Pumas, including both Tests while on tour without their British and Irish Lions last summer.

After their most recent meeting – a 27-23 win for England at Twickenham’s Allianz Stadium – Argentina coach Felipe Contepomi was involved in a confrontation with England flanker Tom Curry in the tunnel.

England have named the same starting XV that beat Fiji 73-8 last weekend while Argentina’s team contains a clutch of players based in England, including Bath full-back Santiago Carreras, Bristol centre Matias Moroni and Harlequins second row Guido Petti.

Argentina; S Carreras; Delguy, Moroni, Piccardo, M Carreras; Albornoz, Garcia; Vivas, Montoya (capt), Rapetti, Petti, Alemanno, Grondona, Kremer, Oviedo.

Replacements: Ruiz, Wenger, Delgado, Elias, Matera, Moro, Benitez Cruz, Cinti.

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