England face tough Puma test

Martin Johnson's young England side face another stiff task when they take on Argentina in Manchester on Saturday.

Johnson's team were beaten 26-33 by a scratch Barbarians side at Twickenham last week but face another step up when they take on the Pumas - who finished third in the 2007 World Cup.

With nine Englishmen on Lions duty in South Africa the game - and next weekend's Test in Salta, Argentina - represent a golden chance for them to stake a claim for a regular starting spot.

Twenty-three year-old flanker Steffon Armitage has another chance after being dropped following a disappointing display against Italy in the Six Nations.

Armitage, whose brother Delon starts at full-back, said: "That wasn't a great experience for me but I know what it is like at international level now and I'm hoping to show Argentina what I can do.

"I was nervous - there were a lot of penalties and errors and it was the sort of game I was not really used to. I want to prove people wrong and show them I can last 80 minutes every week."

Johnson warned Armitage could in for a tough afternoon against the Argentines who beat Engand at Twickenham, 25-18, in 2006.

He said: "He played his first game against Italy but didn't make the 22 after. We have picked him for what he can do - we could have picked Lewis (Moody) but we have made a decision about what we want from the game.

"If we don't contest the ball we'll come second. Argentina know how to win Test matches and they do it very well. We can't have the lack of awareness we had (against the Barbarians) and the errors we made - it really hurt us."

Johnson has made five changes to the side beaten last week. Mark Cueto, Tom May and Dan Hipkiss come in for Ben Foden, Jamie Noon and Jordan Turner-Hall in the backs and James Haskell and the younger Armitage replace Chris Robshaw and Lewis Moody in the pack. He has won just four matches since taking charge last summer.

Meanwhile Argentinean captain, Juan Martin Fernandez Lobbe, is relishing the chance of putting one over team mates from the past and the future.

The back row forward will join Tom May - and Jonny Wilkinson - at Toulon next season after three years playing with England's Mark Cueto at Sale in the English Premiership.

He joked: "I told Mark I am going to chase him under the high ball and smash him with my elbow. I will smash Tom May as well and then be friends when we start at Toulon.

"This weekend is very special for me because I enjoyed three happy years at Sale and really enjoyed living in Manchester - it's a great city."