11 November 2009 - 15H41  

Johnson promises sharper England against Pumas
England Team manager Martin Johnson before kick off in the Investec Challenge Series International Rugby match between England and Australia at Twickenham Stadium, south-west London on November 7. Johnson said he expected greater accuracy from his England side after making four changes in the team to play Argentina at Twickenham.
England Team manager Martin Johnson before kick off in the Investec Challenge Series International Rugby match between England and Australia at Twickenham Stadium, south-west London on November 7. Johnson said he expected greater accuracy from his England side after making four changes in the team to play Argentina at Twickenham.
England fly half Jonny Wilkinson takes a breather during their Investec Challenge Series International rugby union match against Australia at Twickenham Stadium in south-west London, November 7. Martin Johnson said he expected greater accuracy from his England side after making four changes in the team to play Argentina at Twickenham
England fly half Jonny Wilkinson takes a breather during their Investec Challenge Series International rugby union match against Australia at Twickenham Stadium in south-west London, November 7. Martin Johnson said he expected greater accuracy from his England side after making four changes in the team to play Argentina at Twickenham

AFP - Martin Johnson said he expected greater accuracy from his England side after making four changes in the team to play Argentina at Twickenham this Saturday.

London Irish scrum-half Paul Hodgson is set to make his first Test start after Johnson altered his line-up following last weekend's 18-9 home loss to Australia.

Hodgson, who came off the bench last Saturday, swops places with Danny Care in one of three form changes made off the back of a sluggish display against the Wallabies.

Northampton hooker Dylan Hartley, who had a hamstring problem leading into the Australia match, replaces Steve Thompson and James Haskell returns at No 8 after both impressed off the bench last weekend.

Leicester's Jordan Crane, who started at No 8 last week, has dropped out of the squad altogether with experienced Wasps back-row Joe Worsley named among the replacements.

Tight-head prop Duncan Bell will be making his first start for England since facing Scotland in the 2005 Six Nations after David Wilson joined an extensive list of crocked front-rows by injuring his neck against Australia.

England did not score a try against Australia, a match which marked star fly-half Jonny Wilkinson's return to Test duty after 18 months out, and rarely threatened the Wallabies' line.

"As we said afterwards, we probably dropped off the pace a little bit. We've got to improve and we will improve," Johnson told reporters at the squad's training base, south-west of London.

"It's about doing things with a higher success rate," former lock Johnson, who insisted England would be a better side for having played their first Test of the season, added.

"Brian (Smith, England's attack coach) talked about 50 percent accuracy on attack and we need to get that to 75 percent and beyond that.

"Rugby can be a very simple game in that way. You've got to go harder, faster and longer than the other guys can."

Johnson, explaining his changes, continued: "I thought Steve played very well last week but Dylan is a slightly different type of player and he did well when he came on.

"He's obviously a dynamic ball-carrier for us," England's 2003 World Cup winning captain added. "James is also a very dynamic player.

"And with Paul and Danny, there's an argument as to who starts and who comes off the bench. We said to Danny 'you're not dropped'. Paul thoroughly deserves his chance, his leadership and his organisation on the field has been good."

Injuries have left England without several front-row, paving the way for uncapped prop Paul Doran-Jones to be named on the bench after just 266 minutes of Premiership action for Gloucester against an Argentina side renowned for its powerful scrum.

"We know all about Argentina, they enjoy scrummaging and they are very good at it," said Johnson. "These guys (Argentina), the scrum, the maul, that's where they like to impose themselves."

Three years ago, Argentina's 25-18 victory at Twickenham spelt the end of Andy Robinson's reign as England coach.

Johnson is set to continue come what may this weekend but England are currently at a record low of eighth in the world rankings - two places below the Pumas - and defeat on Saturday would leave the England great with a record of eight losses from 13 Tests in charge.

"We have held our hands up as coaches for things we may have missed last week, we need to get better as well," Johnson said.

"You guys (the media) will build this up but they (Tests) are always big. The next Test match is the biggest game and we've got to improve. But we are fully capable of that."

England team to play Argentina in a one-off international at Twickenham on Saturday (1430GMT):

(15-1)

Ugo Monye; Mark Cueto, Danny Hipkiss, Shane Geraghty, Matt Banahan; Jonny Wilkinson, Paul Hodgson; James Haskell, Lewis Moody, Tom Croft; Steve Borthwick (capt), Louis Deacon; Duncan Bell, Dylan Hartley, Tim Payne

Replacements: Steve Thompson, Paul Doran-Jones, Courtney Lawes, Joe Worsley, Danny Care, Andy Goode, Ayoola Erinle

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