England A Face Argentina XV in Bath

England A take on Argentina XV at the Recreation Ground in Bath on Friday, November 6. Kick-off is set for 7:45 p.m. The fixture offers a final chance for fringe players to impress head coach Steve Borthwick ahead of the senior team's selection.

Fitz Harding of Bristol Bears will captain the side. This marks his fourth appearance for the A team. He previously led the squad to a 29-25 win over Spain in Valladolid last November. Mark Mapletoft remains in charge of the A side, which has maintained a consistent squad structure since the program's return in 2024.

Eight players in the matchday squad hold caps at the senior men's level. The lineup includes established names like Archie van der Flier and Joe Batley in the front row and back row. Jack Kenningham and Caolan Englefield also start for England A.

Newcomers to the pathway program are set for their debut appearances. Newcastle Red Bulls flanker Max Hicks may come off the bench for his first representative match for a pathway or senior England team. Lucas Friday and Alex O'Driscoll are also lined up for their first A team appearances from the replacements bench.

The match is available to UK viewers for free on England Rugby's YouTube channel. It will also air on Premier Sports. Nika Amashukeli from Georgia will officiate the game.

Argentina XV names its starting fifteen, led by Tobías Wade at fullback. Benjamín Grondona starts at number eight. The visiting side includes players such as Nicolás Viola at scrum-half and Federico Serpa at fly-half.

The full England A starting lineup is as follows: Archie van der Flier, Jamie Blamire, Afolabi Fasogbon, Joe Batley, Ben Bamber, Ethan Roots, Jack Kenningham, Fitz Harding, Caolan Englefield, Charlie Atkinson, George Hendy, Max Ojomoh, Luke Northmore, Noah Caluori, and Joe Carpenter. The replacements include Nathan Jibulu, Alex O'Driscoll, George Kloska, Tom Lockett, Max Hicks, Lucas Friday, and Billy Searle.