Rugby videos of tackles, tries, funny incidents and more: England too Goode for Argentina at Old Trafford

Monday, June 08, 2009

England too Goode for Argentina at Old Trafford

England have moved up to fifth place on the IRB World Rankings after beating Argentina 37-15 at Old Trafford on Saturday after two tries from Delon Armitage, a try on debut by Matt Banahan, and 22 points from flyhalf Andy Goode.

It was the first time England played at their home away from home since 1997, and that famous match when we saw Richard Cockerill stand up to the Haka.

They have now notched up three straight victories for the first time since the World Cup in 2007, helping them overtake the one dimensional Argentina in the World Rankings.

Flyhalf Juan Martin Hernandez contributed all of his side’s points with the boot, but they offered little on attack and never truly threatened. On the plus side though, the crowd of 40 521, sponsorship, and a television deal have helped secure £500 000 for the struggling Argentinean union.

Matt Banahan scored on debut, and was named Man of the Match, but it was two try hero Delon Armitage who continues to impress.

Armitage has warned that England will need to be a whole lot better when they next play Argentina. The side flew out to Buenos Aires on Sunday night, ahead of their match in Salta this Saturday.

"Next week is going to massive. We will need to be 10 times better in defence and 10 times more physical. Over there it will be a battle and we know they will come back stronger," said the fullback.

Martin Johnson is full of praise for the young man who has impressed since making his Test debut, but was denied a place on the Lions tour.

"He's done very well for us. I enjoy watching him play and being part of the team. He's with us until he gets the call from the Lions.

"I hope for his sake he does get the call, though it will be nice if it's after next Saturday."

Time: 04:57

wahey!
entertaining tries, still not from running them though which isnt great.
armitages face plant haha, good lad.

By ed, at June 08, 2009 5:46 pm
cuetos lucky day!

By samitarugby, at June 08, 2009 5:48 pm
armitage is a quality player just keeps getting better.

By Anonymous, at June 08, 2009 5:55 pm
"Too Goode for Argentina" = too many kicking.
To be fair the first try was brilliantly worked.
Haha Cueto must be having a laugh out there

By Anonymous, at June 08, 2009 5:56 pm
As a England supporter i must say what a rubbish game, kicked away way to much ball as nomrmal and went for the 3 points options to often, fair enough its a young side and they were out for the win and got it but quite boring none the less imo.

By ryebye, at June 08, 2009 5:58 pm
Hey RD, do you have May's tackle on Luigiuzamon (sp), that was a fantsatic hit!

By Anonymous, at June 08, 2009 5:59 pm
good show of character from Cueto, glad to see he's enjoying himself. Worried that he could't of caught both from Danny and replacement fly-half
Banahan, soft try?

By Anonymous, at June 08, 2009 6:00 pm
i didn't see this match. Was it entertaining? England will be certainly back for the next 6 nations.

On the 2nd try, there is a clear forward pass from Care

By Flooz, at June 08, 2009 6:08 pm
Was at the match, kinda boring at times but really good fun to see quates proving his footballing skills once again

By Fred, at June 08, 2009 6:13 pm
was a boring game. very unimaginative from england. before the last try england were too far ahead to be caught and had penalties where they decided to kick for goal rather than go for the corner. If you cant try and spread it out in the backs when youre that far ahead against an unthreatening argentina when will you go for it?

The only positive I took from the game is that theres 3 fly halves who when fit or on form will definately get in before goode.

By Anonymous, at June 08, 2009 6:18 pm
wilko, cips and flood i was referring to there

By Anonymous, at June 08, 2009 6:18 pm
armitage is awesome, ten times better than earles and halfpenny, so deserves a place in south africa

By Anonymous, at June 08, 2009 7:16 pm
I know, Im Scottish so I'm traditionally not meant to say things like this, but why is that man not is SA? Armitage is awesome everytime he plays.

By dr, at June 08, 2009 8:02 pm
"awesome everytime he plays" ?

Didn't watch the Guinness Final then?

By Anonymous, at June 08, 2009 9:04 pm
Good result for england well worked haven said that way too much kicking.Argentina didn't seem to be in the match at all which was a disappointment.A shadow of the team that where seen at the world cup.

Cares pass was MILES forward he just passed after he crossed the 22 and by the time Cueto kicked it is was nearly at the 5 metre line.

Cueto seemed to have a blinder great kicking for both of the tries great reactions.Lets see how they get on over in Argentina next week!

I don't see what everyone is on about Armitage is not that good. "armitage is awesome, ten times better than earles and halfpenny, so deserves a place in south africa" first of all both earls and halfpenny can play on the wing or at centre nither of which Armitage can.Hes a fullback and Kearney and Byrne have that covered, between them they are possabaly the best full backs in the northern hemisphere on there day.Armitage is one of those players that plays good when his team is winning and plays terrible when he is losing (que click of the Guinness Premiership final).He was shocking in that match when they needed players to stand up he was nowhere Mapusua played both centre roles.He has been playing out of possition for both England and London Irish im sorry but HE IS NOT A CENTRE!!!! so stop playing him there(i hope Martin Johnson reads this.Martin stop it your acting the maggot)

Conor

By Anonymous, at June 08, 2009 9:40 pm
hes never played at centre for england

By Anonymous, at June 08, 2009 9:52 pm
Conor,

what a load of rubbish. Armitage's best position is full back no doubt, but he is a perfectly capable wing or centre.

Whilst Halfpenny deserves to be on the Lions tour, Earls most definitely does not and Delon should be there ahead of him.

Rock solid under the high ball (only seen him drop one for England), big boot, knows the way to the try line and, with the possible exception of Monye, the fastest player England have.

By Anonymous, at June 08, 2009 10:38 pm
firstly awful pun by RD!
secondly you cant blame goode, hes strengths are kicking and thats how leicester used to win games. its johnson's fault for picking a player of his style anyway. he does bring stability though and is unlikely to do a cipriani and suddenly go off the boil. plus when theres a 6.5 18st winger out there tactical kicking can often lead to tries. banahan needs to be starting for england every game simple as

By caucau's no.1 fan, at June 09, 2009 3:17 am
Banahan always impresses. Have to agree that Delon should be there instead of Earls, everyone has a poor game, but he had a very good 6nations.

Still think Care has alot of potentiall.

By Canadian Content, at June 09, 2009 4:20 am
I'm delighted to see Care not take 2 steps across before his pass. He's half way to edging out Ellis.
Banahan has been a powder keg every time I see him play, I'm so impressed he didn't bring that to international
Great future ahead.

By Anonymous, at June 09, 2009 4:59 am
What a display of kicks to the wing that was a good show!!!

By Toners, at June 09, 2009 5:29 am
I dont think earls doesn't deserve to be on the lions tour he was a shot in the dark and for the most he has performed.Keith earls is only 21 years old and if he is surrounded by talent he will score tries watch pretty much any try he scored for munster and see that it is up to the likes of O'Gara, Howlett, Mafi or Warwick that put him on his way. Having said that I dont think earls is streets ahead of Armitage, Armitage is a good player on his day and compared to the english backs of present he is one of the very few that stand out. I think Mc Geehan had possibly 3 wildcard tickets to SA and Earls Halfpenny and Fitzgearld got them based of there preformance for club and contray. Armitage missed out because of the team in which he plays England didnt have a good 6nations campain bar the match aganist France and because of that Armitage couldnt shine as bright as he might of.

Ok armitage might of deserved to gett in before Earls but there are countless players (Henson, Darcy, Hook, M Evans) that deserved to get in ahead of armitage.

Conor

By Anonymous, at June 09, 2009 9:57 am
cueto should play football

By Anonymous, at June 09, 2009 12:05 pm
Wow, Cueto may have invented a new tactic. That was cool, especially when he booted the bomb ahead.
I have never seen that before.

By Anonymous, at June 09, 2009 1:04 pm
Andy Goode may not be able to pass with his hands but who needs to when you can kick like that.

I agree Armitage should be in SA instead of Earls as he can catch.

Also I was at the game and the fact that all 3 tries came from kicks doesnt matter at least england were scoring tries and more importantly keeping Argentina out.

By Anonymous, at June 09, 2009 2:53 pm
Conor -

How can you say that Armitage doesn't play centre when he has played there for both London Irish and England? He has also played on the wing as well. He plays 13 for Irish quite frequently as well so I don't really know how you can say he's playing 'out of position'. If he plays a lot of games there then surely that is one of his positions? Also Armitage is great, I don't know where the accusation that he only plays well when his team does is coming from, unless your only knowledge of him is from watching the GP final. He was England's most consistent player by far during the Six Nations.

On Earls, I suppose I can't really disagree with his inclusion in the first place as it was a punt on a wildcard so fair enough. But I don't think Earls has justified his place, his performances have been poor apart from one decent try (which was created by Hook's chip). With hindsight I would have preferred Armitage on the tour but I can't really quarrel with the decision to take Earls at the time.

By Anonymous, at June 09, 2009 3:06 pm
This video really doesnt give the crowds attitude any justice. The match was (very decently) an England "away" match. In the North of England so spreading the support from the Home counties and given 8 of our best are out their in SA 40500+ fans watching half of a second string game is not a bad turn out. Also the game has given 500 000 to the Aregentinian RFU which is, given the IRB's pathetic inability to give them regular competative rugby every year, a very comendable thing to do!

Now the bad.

As i said this was an "away match" and you would belive it at times! The crowd (me included) grew intollerable of the kicking game. Argentina lacked the firepower to really come at us so Hernandez's kicking was justifiable. England on the other hand were kicking to kick, we could easily have run 3/4 more tries if the ball left goodes hands rather then his feet.
Goode was following a game plan but for the majority of the 2nd half England were comfortably in front, how the hell can we expect these lads in the center of the pitch many of whom will struggle for a game when the lions contingent return expected to shine when all they do is watch a ping-pong game? I assure those who wern't there the English did not like the kicking game and were making it very clear.

I don't blame Goode, he played pretty well and followed his game plan to the letter, but he shouldnt have been following that plan. I really hope the SH fans here understand that we English want running rugby as seen in the Super14/Tri Nations/Currie cup/etc It is simply not being acknowledged by those in charge.

Hope Argentina invest the money well, enjoy the next test and the IRB can stop trying to fuck with the rules and get them regular competative rugby before all the work of the last 10 years is lost.

By Lil-Chris, at June 09, 2009 4:29 pm
I think its a bit of a shame that the one match they have away from Twickenham is, for all intents and purposes, a friendly played during the Lions Tour and on the same day as England's football team play a world cup qualifier.

Half full OT still sounded better than a full Twickenham though. Bring the Rugby to the people I say. OT or St James' park should host an Autumn international

By Anonymous, at June 09, 2009 6:21 pm
Why do modern players have such rubbish nicknames, Quates? Johnno, wilko, Dilo, crofty,Taity? Its often said that players cant think for themselves like they used to on the pitch, and it seems they cant even make up a proper nickname off it. Im mean whats next? Stevy Borthwicko?

By The Schpoople Master, at June 09, 2009 9:02 pm
To the above. No, because that would be just plain stupid...

By Anonymous, at June 09, 2009 11:12 pm
"Also I was at the game and the fact that all 3 tries came from kicks doesnt matter at least england were scoring tries and more importantly keeping Argentina out."

Of course it matters. Because when we come up against good sides(something Argentinia weren't) that won't work.

You think you can kick the ball away to SA, NZ or Australia? They'd bloody murder us!

It should be in these 'friendly' games against weaken sides that we show our intentions.

If we can't play expansive proper rugby against shit sides we'll never get it right against the good sides.

By Anonymous, at June 10, 2009 1:49 am
The Schpoople Master said...
Why do modern players have such rubbish nicknames?

- what the hell kind of a nickname is Schpoople Master!?

By sir zidrobablex, at June 10, 2009 9:10 am
we need to find a way to get monye and bananahan on... i think i recall monye as a centre a few time 4 quins???

By Anonymous, at June 10, 2009 5:18 pm