Clive Woodward's inexperienced England side take on Argentina in the cauldron that is the Velez Sarsfield in Buenos Aires tomorrow well aware of the task ahead of them.

England boss Clive Woodward will send five new caps into battle - London Irish backs Michael Horak and Geoff Appleford, Saracens centre Ben Johnston, Bristol wing Phil Christophers, plus Harlequins lock Alex Codling - while fly-half Charlie Hodgson faces his first major examination as an international playmaker and tactician.

Argentina, in contrast, are a settled side buoyant on the back of victories over Six Nations trio France, Scotland and Wales.

Bristol scrum-half Agustin Pichot takes over as skipper from injured centre Lisandro Arbizu, with Gonzalo Quesada - top points-scorer during World Cup 99 - recalled at number 10, and a juggernaut pack once again preparing to steamroller anything that gets in its way.

England will be chasing an eighth victory from 11 starts against Argentina, but it will be a tough examination especially as the Pumas defeated Six Nations champions France last Saturday.

Manager Woodward commented, "Their results, especially away from home, have been impressive.

"This is the best Argentina team they've had, and I don't think that any side in the world would relish playing them at the moment."

"We are rightly the underdogs, but I genuinely believe that we have got a chance if we play well," Woodward added.

"This is a one-off Test match, and I am delighted that Argentina have given us the opportunity to play against them because we could have been sat at home doing nothing.

"We have got to attack Argentina head-on at their strengths, and we are looking forward to the scrums and line-ups.

"As always, the game will be won between one and eight. I believe that we've got an excellent pack as well and it is going to be a good match-up."

Elsewhere, Leicester forward Ben Kay underlined the determination of England's young guns to emulate David Beckham and his football World Cup heroes by recording a famous victory over Argentina.

"If you look back at our last few games, a lot of the young guys brought in have performed and pushed senior internationals," he said.

"And the people on this tour are in that same mould.

"I wanted to come to Argentina, because I didn't want to be the one giving up my shirt. I know how dangerous that can be, and I didn't want to put myself in a situation whereby I wasn't around the England set-up."

"In terms of the atmosphere, and bearing in mind the football, I am sure that it might be a little more intense than it was when Argentina played France last weekend.

"I am sure that their fans would want revenge in the nicest sense of the word, and it is going to be a great atmosphere. Occasions like this one are why you play rugby."

Argentina's influential scrum-half Agustin Pichot is keen to play down any extra pressure on the Pumas, "I don't believe that there is any extra pressure on the Pumas, given what happened in the soccer World Cup," said Pichot.

"But obviously, it has been disappointing to see your country so down about the soccer, and as a sportsman, I've shared that disappointment.

"I was really down about it, while Juan Sebastian Veron is a friend of mine, and I didn't like to see him as he was. I felt really sorry about what happened.

"We have come to expect a lot from the soccer team, but unfortunately on this occasion, they couldn't achieve what everyone hoped for," Pichot added.

"We were thrilled with our victory over France - it was important for the whole country - but hopefully, we can play a little bit better against England.

"I am a little bit disappointed that England haven't got all their top players with them, but that's just the way it is, and we have still prepared in the same way."

His opposite number Andy Gommarsall can complete his transformation from a scrum-half on the international scrapheap to genuine World Cup contender by starring for England in Saturday's Velez Sarsfield showdown with Argentina.

It will be the Gloucester scrum-half's first Test start since England were beaten 23-20 by France at Twickenham in March, 1997.

But with half-back rivals Kyran Bracken and Matt Dawson both absentees from England's short South American expedition, Gomarsall has the perfect opportunity to put down a marker.

"This is a huge game for me," admitted the 27-year-old, who had spells with Wasps, Bath and Bedford until settling at Gloucester and establishing himself as first choice number nine under former England scrum-half Nigel Melville's tutelage last term.

"I've learnt from my mistakes and become a better player and a better person. I had lost a lot of confidence, but I've now got the desire, hunger and competitiveness back."

"I will need to be at every ruck to try and mark him (PIchot) out of the game, and hopefully I can redress the balance a little after he got one up on me by scoring a try for Bristol in the play-off final against Gloucester two weeks ago.

"I have never played alongside Charlie
(Hodgson) before, but I watched him produce some fantastic stuff with the Sale backs this season.

"He also communicates very well on the pitch, and it is brilliant to have a fly-half who is nattering away the whole time behind you. He's an exciting young player."

Teams for Argentina versus England, Velez Sarsfield, Buenos Aires, Saturday, kick-off 19:40 BST.
Argentina: I Corleto (Narbonne): G Camardon (Roma), J Orengo (Perpignan), F Contepomi (Bristol), D Albanese (Leeds); G Quesada (Narbonne), A Pichot (Bristol, capt); M Reggiardo (Castres), F Mendez (Mendoza), O Hasan (Agen), I Fernandez-Lobbe (Castres), R Alvarez (Perpignan), S Phelan (CASI), R Martin (San Isidro), G Longo (Narbonne).

Replacements: M Ledesma (Narbonne), R Grau (Liceo), L Ostiglia (Hindu), M Durand (Champagnat), N Fernandez-Miranda (Hindu), D Giannantonio (Hindu), J Nunez-Piossek (Hiurapuca).

England: M Horak (London Irish); T Stimpson (Leicester), G Appleford (London Irish), B Johnston (Saracens), P Christophers (Bristol); C Hodgson (Sale), A Gomarsall (Gloucester); D Flatman (Saracens), S Thompson (Northampton), P Vickery (Gloucester, capt), A Codling (Harlequins), B Kay (Leicester), A Sanderson (Sale), L Moody (Leicester), J Worsley (Wasps).

Replacements: M Regan (Bath), T Woodman (Gloucester), H Vyvyan (Newcastle), A Balding (Leicester), N Walshe (Sale), D Walder (Newcastle), K Sorrell (Saracens).

Referee: Alain Rolland (Ireland).

Touch judges: Peter Marshall (Australia) and Giulio De Santis (Italy).