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MAKO VUNIPOLA and Jack Nowell are back for England's crunch game against Argentina.

The pair are on the bench for Saturday's huge Pool C game at Tokyo Stadium.

 Jack Nowell and Mako Vunipola are back for England
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Jack Nowell and Mako Vunipola are back for England

Prop Vunipola has been out since injuring his hamstring against Ireland in August - and Nowell hasn't played a minute since ankle and appendix surgery in the summer.

As expected, George Ford and Owen Farrell are the full playmakers at fly-half and inside centre with Manu Tuilagi outside them.

Joe Marler, Jamie George and Kyle Sinckler are in the front row with George Kruis alongside Maro Itoje in the engine room.

And Jones has also stuck with his preferred back row of Tom Curry, Sam Underhill and Billy Vunipola.

The England boss said: “Argentina is a completely different team from others we have played so far in the pool stages and are always about the physical contest.

 Mako Vunipola will step off the bench against Argentina
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Mako Vunipola will step off the bench against ArgentinaCredit: Getty - Contributor

"We had an outstanding training run yesterday and we've got eight disappointed players but they understand they have a massive role to play in supporting the team.

"Conversely, the guys who have been selected need to support those guys.

"It's a credit to our strength and conditioning staff and medical staff what a great condition we're in.

"We're six games into our World Cup preparations – four warm-up games and two World Cup games and we have 31 players to select from

"This week it’s about getting our game right, our set piece in a good place and making sure defensively we are organised and ready to find ways to score points against them.

“We are in Tokyo for the first time and the players are excited to be here and have had a good week’s preparation so far.

"We know Argentina are a very good team and our players will be ready for the game."

 

England starting XV
15 Elliot Daly (Saracens, 35 caps)
14 Anthony Watson (Bath Rugby, 38 caps)
13 Manu Tuilagi (Leicester Tigers, 36 caps)
12 Owen Farrell (Saracens, 75 caps) C
11 Jonny May (Leicester Tigers, 48 caps)
10 George Ford (Leicester Tigers, 61 caps)
9 Ben Youngs (Leicester Tigers, 91 caps)
1 Joe Marler (Harlequins, 64 caps)
2 Jamie George (Saracens, 41 caps)
3 Kyle Sinckler (Harlequins, 27 caps)
4 Maro Itoje (Saracens, 30 caps)
5 George Kruis (Saracens, 37 caps)
6 Tom Curry (Sale Sharks, 15 caps)
7 Sam Underhill (Bath Rugby, 11 caps)
8 Billy Vunipola (Saracens, 47 caps)

Subs
16 Luke Cowan-Dickie (Exeter Chiefs, 17 caps)
17 Mako Vunipola (Saracens, 54 caps)
18 Dan Cole (Leicester Tigers, 91 caps)
19 Courtney Lawes (Northampton Saints, 77 caps)
20 Lewis Ludlam (Northampton Saints, 4 caps)
21 Willi Heinz (Gloucester Rugby, 6 caps)
22 Henry Slade (Exeter Chiefs, 23 caps)
23 Jack Nowell (Exeter Chiefs, 33 caps)

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