Steak is a breakfast food and 20 other things I learnt on England's tour of Argentina

Telegraph

13 hours ago

After 16 days, two provinces and three cities, the Argentinian voyage comes to an end. An under-strength England have defeated Argentina in both Tests – in La Plata and San Juan – extending their unbeaten run over Los Pumas on their own patch since the 2009 loss in Salta.
It was my first time in Argentina, a country famed for the passion of its people and the heartiness of its food and drink. Experiencing this country, as well as following England's movements – not to mention, success – in it, was a privilege. Here is what I learnt, both on and off the rugby field, from an unforgettable trip.
1. George Ford is England's best option at fly-half – that is not controversial
A case can be made for all of them but I saw enough of Ford's influence on this tour, both in matches and at training, to know that England were not lacking for having three fly-halves with the Lions. Steve Borthwick has a real selection headache on the horizon come the autumn. It is not just at fly-half where Borthwick has positive quandaries, however, but in the back row, back three and, maybe, the front row, too. After the second Test victory, Borthwick said: 'You can see that we have a number of world-class flankers and we have got to have them in the team because of how much they add in terms of breakdown speed, how much they add in attack, so I think they have to be in the team.'
2. Lee Blackett is a brilliant coach
He will one day either coach international rugby or return to becoming a truly great club head coach. He worked closely with Ford on this tour and England's attacking shape and strategy, even if the execution occasionally let them down, had the Pumas at sixes and sevens. In training, Blackett was influential and it should come as no surprise that he ended last season as a Premiership winner with Bath.
3. Blackett is also a very good padel player
His partnering with Byron McGuigan, another coach temporarily seconded to England for this trip, was fearsome. The final score, when they took on the travelling media, is irrelevant.
4. Immanuel Feyi-Waboso is a rocket
A rusty one, albeit, but a rocket nonetheless. His strike-running during training was a class above, even if occasionally the skill level let him down. Admittedly, he has only played 34 minutes of rugby in 2025.
5. England's defence was immense in Argentina
Joe El-Abd, heavily involved in last weekend's training session, deserves credit alongside McGuigan.
6. England's team spirit looked potent and impregnable
Naturally, I was not in amongst it as some of the players and coaching staff, but after the second Test victory in San Juan, Borthwick spoke about how impressed he had been by it. The head coach stopped short of saying it was the best he had seen, but there was a suggestion: 'I want to bottle the spirit of La Plata, the spirit of San Juan, and take it with us wherever we go.'
7. Argentina's reputation for steak is deserved
The cuts are all different, it is nearly mostly cooked over charcoal (asado) and, sometimes, they can be a little tougher than European steaks. But they were always juicy, the flavour always supreme. And, at my hotel in La Plata, the city in which England won the first Test, it was served at breakfast on weekends. And, yes, I did have it. The Malbec was as pleasant as everyone says, too. 'When in Rome' and all that...
8. Carlos Nieto's pub was almost worth the trip to La Plata alone
La Plata's cathedral was opulent and magnificent, but there was not much going on in the city. Except steak, of course. And except La Rabieta, the pub owned by Nieto, the former Italy, Gloucester and Saracens prop. Although, don't foolishly get yourself in a round with him (as I did). It does not end well.
9. La Plata's pavements are death traps
They all need re-laying. They must have laid waste to many an ankle in their time.
10. Driving nears total anarchy
In both La Plata and San Juan, no one has any clue whose right of way it is; not drivers, nor pedestrians. There are very few road markings, even fewer give way signs. I lost count of the number of times I swore while walking about each city; I also lost count at the number of times taxi drivers laughed at me while I was swearing as their passenger. Buenos Aires, the capital, was slightly better, in that there was the occasional regulation pedestrian crossing. With that seemingly overrated invention (in Argentina, at least) of red and green men.
11. Tax is both baffling and seemingly optional
Many places brazenly advertise discounts for both bank transfer and cash payments while one taxi driver told me that if I wanted an invoice I would have to pay a 15 per cent increased fare. There is an extremely cavalier attitude towards tax on goods, and yet when I paid on card for a solitary bottle of Diet Coke in a supermarket I had to input my passport number at the self-checkout. All very odd.
12. England are building World Cup-winning depth
They are not there yet – and I am not saying that they are favourites (or even close) for the World Cup in 2027 as things stand, but they are tracking nicely.
13. Argentina adores rugby
I arrived expecting football to be dominant here and rugby to be a minority sport. While football is by far and away the most popular, rugby is bigger than I was expecting, with a loyal, zealous fanbase.
14. Los Pumas need to find some props
Desperately. England had the upper hand at the scrum in the first Test, Argentina then changed their props entirely for the second and the same outcome was achieved. For a nation with such a fearsome reputation for scrummaging, it was quite concerning. However, there are high hopes for their under-20s front row, who have impressed in the World Championships in Italy.
15. Tom Harrison loves scrums and loves talking about them
Chatting to him about his scrum session was the most engaging and captivating I have seen him in an England media session. He was in his element. His front-rowers could not have done him prouder, either.
16. Lock remains an area of concern for England
Charlie Ewels and Alex Coles did little wrong on the Argentina tour but Borthwick opted to go without out-and-out lock cover on the bench. Chandler Cunningham-South, covering second row, only featured for 20 minutes across the two Tests and there was no spot for Nick Isiekwe or Arthur Clark. Admittedly, Maro Itoje and Ollie Chessum are with the Lions and George Martin is injured but England need to, at least, develop some locks with Test potential – and sharpish.
17. Freddie Steward remains a Test class full-back
Steward has strengths and weaknesses but he proved that he still has what it takes at the highest level after becoming more of a fringe player over the past two years. After a season working with Peter Hewat at Leicester, Steward is moving the ball more freely and swiftly, too.
18. Five-three benches will become a thing of the past
Borthwick may well revert to that for the match against the US on Sunday but the second Test in San Juan proved how much value the head coach places in a 6:2 bench split (he's only picked 6:2 benches all year). On Saturday that formation was preferred even with Ben Spencer covering fly-half, a position in which he never started a professional match.
19. England are likely to have a favourable World Cup draw
Borthwick's side are currently ranked fifth in the world and need to be in the top six by the end of November. That now looks likely, given Australia and Argentina are in the hunt and face some of the best teams in the world before the deadline.
20. There was barely any Falklands-related hostility
Even when I told people I was from England or London, nothing changed. Everyone was friendly and helpful. I was not expecting much, but the only reference to Las Malvinas which I either saw or heard on the whole trip was a solitary banner draped over some trees close to the stadium for the first Test. No one paid it much attention, either. Thankfully, that was it.
21. The Argentine population is hospitable and convivial
England experienced it in the way that Club San Luis hosted them in La Plata – not just for training, but for an asado dinner, too – and I experienced it everywhere I went. They might be a fiery, rebellious people, but they also could never do enough to help. It is born out of pride for their country; they wanted me to see that pride. And I did. After Blackett and McGuigan had trounced all and sundry at padel, the manager of the courts was so embarrassed at not taking payment by card – not that he had any obligation to deign to our metropolitan ways – that he drove to my hotel a day later to gift me two bottles of local Malbec, to apologise for the payment inconvenience. Thanks for those, Jorge; they were delicious. And, in a wonderfully wacky way, your country is fabulous.