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France slipped to a series whitewash in their summer internationals against South Africa, after losing the third and final Test 35-12 at Emirates Airline Park in Johannesburg on Saturday.

Tries from Jesse Kriel, Eben Etzebeth and Malcolm Marx, as well as a debut score from Rudy Paige, along with a hat-trick of penalties from Elton Jantjies, condemned Les Bleus to a third defeat in a row in this series.

France could only manage four Jules Plisson penalties in response.

Paul Williams of Rugby World noted how the pressure was on Les Bleus after losing the first two Tests:

France have got a lot to prove against the Boks

— Paul Williams (@thepaulwilliams) June 24, 2017

Even so, Jantjies converted a penalty to open the scoring in just six minutes. A minute later South Africa had a try on the board, after Kriel went over.

An early 10-point lead left France shocked, but Plisson got them on the board with a penalty. Jantjies then missed one of his own to leave the score at 10-3 after 13 minutes.

France cut the gap to four when Plisson sent another penalty through. The French had worked well to win the second-phase ball before Jefferson Poirot was felled on the breakaway.

Jantjies made amends for his earlier miss by hooking in a second penalty to stretch the Springboks' advantage to seven points. Debutant Ruben Dreyer and 29-year-old scrum-half Francois Hougaard were letting South Africa dominate in the scrum and breakdowns, with South African Rugby showing a snap of one breakdown:

Always wanting to be a conductor, @Francoishougi tunes the French on some rules at the breakdown. #LoveRugby pic.twitter.com/oufbhk7pmo

— Springboks (@Springboks) June 24, 2017

Another exchange of penalties meant the Springboks stayed seven points in front at the break.

Etzebeth scored from a lineout move early in the second half to make it 21-9.

Les Bleus were struggling because of some dubious tactics, as they used a beefy pack to try to dominate the Springboks physically. However, it simply wasn't working, and coach Guy Noves' men needed to focus more on creating and exploiting some natural width.

With a healthy lead, Springboks coach Allister Coetzee decided to freshen things up:

Steven Kitshoff, Coenie Oosthuizen and PS du Toit on the field as replacements. 21-9, 25 mins left

— Springboks (@Springboks) June 24, 2017

The changes from the bench paid dividends when Marx scored a try after some fine work from Steven Kitshoff in the buildup. Marx's try rendered Plisson's fourth penalty moot.

South Africa padded their score when Paige went over late on after a clever offload from substitute Bongi Mbonambi sent him clear.

The whitewash loss sums up how much France struggled with this summer international tour after a long and gruelling domestic season. Meanwhile, the Springboks have shown signs of a revival after three comprehensive displays.

New Zealand came out on top in the first Test with the British & Irish Lions on Saturday as they won 30-15 at Eden Park in Auckland.

Codie Taylor and Sean O'Brien went over for each side in the first half, with the All Blacks going in 13-8 up at the break. 

Rieko Ioane grabbed a brace of tries in the second half to extend New Zealand's record to 38 consecutive wins at Eden Park, though Rhys Webb was able to grab a late consolation for the tourists.

The Lions almost scored after three minutes amid a positive start when Elliot Daly went over following a superb break by Jonathan Davies, but the try was disallowed as Israel Dagg was able to force him into touch.

New Zealand quickly established themselves in the contest, though, and Anthony Watson had to make a superb catch to deny Dagg a try after Beauden Barrett chipped the ball into the Lions' 22. Soon after, Barrett drew first blood with a straightforward penalty for offside.

The All Blacks grabbed the first try following a quick tap as they worked the ball across and Taylor went over on the right, per Sky Sports Rugby:

Here's another look at the first try from Taylor! Live on SS1 now! Brought to you by @SLI_Global https://t.co/51WdHP3w2u

— Sky Sports Rugby Union (@SkySportsRugby) June 24, 2017

New Zealand star Cory Jane was impressed with his compatriots:

All blacks playing fast, direct rugby..
no time for the Lions to get there defence set..

— Cory Jane (@CoryJane1080) June 24, 2017

Indeed, the hosts dictated the tempo of the match while the visitors, unable to find a way through, frequently resorted to box kicks, which more often than not just gave possession straight back to the All Blacks.

Another penalty for Barrett restored New Zealand's 10-point lead after Owen Farrell struck, but the Lions came back with a sensational length-of-the-field try. 

Liam Williams led an outstanding break before offloading to Davies. He and Daly exchanged passes down the left before O'Brien got it over the line:

🎥 TRY! The Lions run the length of the field and O'Brien scores! Live on SS1 now! Brought to you by @SLI_Global https://t.co/XT8RTFuWsR

— Sky Sports Rugby Union (@SkySportsRugby) June 24, 2017

Rugby journalist Murray Kinsella was in awe:

That's one of the best tries of all time, no doubt. Stunning rugby. #Lions

— Murray Kinsella (@Murray_Kinsella) June 24, 2017

The Lions flew out of the traps early in the second half, with Watson and Williams causing the All Blacks problems as they broke with pace, though Farrell should have gone for the points with a penalty rather than attempting for a try by going for the corner.

New Zealand extended their lead, however, after driving a scrum forward and a magnificent offload from Kieran Read allowed them to work it to Ioane on the left.

Another penalty from Barrett put the hosts 15 points ahead with less than 20 minutes remaining, and they put the contest to bed when Williams dropped a high ball and Ioane put on the afterburners to escape Daly and run the ball home:

🎥 TRY! Ioane shows searing pace to score his second! Live on SS1 now! Brought to you by @SLI_Global https://t.co/QJVfPg8sd7

— Sky Sports Rugby Union (@SkySportsRugby) June 24, 2017

Former Lions player Matt Dawson noted how much more clinical the hosts were than the visitors:

Lions had 4 chances and score once. NZ are 3 from 3. There's the difference #ABvBIL

— Matt Dawson (@matt9dawson) June 24, 2017

Webb grabbed a late consolation in the 81st minute when he drove over from close range.

The Lions have two more opportunities to beat the All Blacks in the remaining three matches of the tour, and there were some positives to take from the contest here, but New Zealand's class and ruthlessness shone through.

It will take a monumental effort to turn the series around.

Sefanaia Naivalu and Israel Folau scored braces as Australia scored six tries in a thrilling win on Saturday, beating a spirited Italy side 40-27 at the Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane.

Naivalu grabbed the first try of the match before Israel Folau went over twice, while Michele Campagnaro hit back late on in the first half as Italy went in 21-13 down.

Edoardo Padovani and Tommaso Benvenuti went over after Naivalu hit back early in the second half, and the two teams were separated by just one point with three minutes remaining, but Reece Hodge and Bernard Foley crashed home two late tries to maintain the Wallabies' perfect record over Italy.

Tommaso Allan gave Italy an early lead with a penalty after Australia knocked on just five metres in front of their own line.

The Wallabies were fortunate not to be even further behind soon after, when a neat move by the Azzurri saw Giovanbattista Venditti offload to Dean Budd on the right for him to go over, but the try was disallowed on the finest of margins as the latter dragged over the touchline, per TEN Sport:

It really is a game of inches...anxious moments for the @qantaswallabies#AUSvITA pic.twitter.com/rjiHQcOPvi

— 10 Sport (@10SportAU) June 24, 2017

Australia did not create any opportunities of note until almost a quarter of an hour in, but they capitalised fully as Naivalu sprinted down the left flank and over following a quick tap from a free-kick.

Just five minutes later, the hosts had another try when Folau finished off a lovely passing move in the corner.

Allan pulled back another three points with a penalty, but Folau had his second try after Michael Hooper broke through when Australia stole possession from the visitors, and Karmichael Hunt picked out the winger with an excellent pass wide.

Sports Australia's Adam McBride noted Folau's impressive achievement:

Folau becomes the first Wallaby the score multiple tries in three consecutive Test matches. AUS 21-6 after 32 minutes. #AUSvITA

— Adam McBride (@adammcb14) June 24, 2017

The try showcased Italy's defensive struggles, and it was of little surprise they missed a total of 16 tackles in the first half alone. They earned a lifeline at the end of the half when Venditti broke the middle before offloading to Campagnaro. Rugby writer Simon Thomas was impressed:

Great score from Campagnaro. Offload plus pace equals try. Aus 21, Italy 13. Decent first half in Brisbane.

— Simon Thomas Rugby (@simonrug) June 24, 2017

Australia hit back early in the second half, though, when they took the ball from a scrum close to the Italian line and quickly moved it left, where Naivalu was waiting to go over.

TEN Sport highlighted Foley's sublime offload in the build-up:

Some razzle dazzle stuff from Foley helps to set up Naivalu's second for the afternoon!

@qantaswallabies lead 28-13 #AUSvITA pic.twitter.com/gQPZSFYZrO

— 10 Sport (@10SportAU) June 24, 2017

The hosts looked to have the contest under control as a result, but they allowed Italy back into the contest when Dane Haylett-Petty dropped a cross-field kick straight into Padovani's hands in the corner.

Buoyed by the score, Italy—who had controlled much of the possession in the second half—continued to fight their way back into the contest when Benvenuti intercepted Rory Arnold's sloppy pass before jinking through to bring the score to 28-27.

However, with just three minutes remaining, Foley forced his way way over after racing through a gap in the Italian line four metres out.

Australia dealt a final blow to the Azzurri when Hodge was able to race down the left from his own 22 and touch down.

Despite their success going forward, the performance will be a concern for Australia, who slipped to a shock defeat to Scotland in their previous match.

As for Italy, they will be greatly encouraged having driven the Wallabies so closely.

South Africa will try to claim a clean sweep of France in their third summer international matchup on Saturday, after taking the first two contests in convincing fashion.

The host Springboks beat Les Bleus 37-15 in Durban in their previous encounter and took the series opener 37-14 in Pretoria.

The final match will be played in the iconic Ellis Park Stadium in Johannesburg, and the hosts will once again be favoured to win.

Date: Saturday, June 24

Time: 4 p.m. BST/11 a.m. ET

Venue: Ellis Park Stadium, Johannesburg

TV Info: Sky Sports 1 (UK)

Live Stream: Sky Go

     

Preview

The summer series against France couldn't have come at a better time for the hosts, who failed to win a single match in their tour of Europe last November. The pressure was on coach Allister Coetzee and his players at the start of the series, and he believes the team has answered some difficult questions, per Brenden Nel of SuperSport:

"Yes mistakes were made but it is the ability to rectify those mistakes and the ability to set them right. That is what is happening here, we have a great team environment, fantastic leadership group and a great captain and a willingness that everyone has bought into the plan. It is looking good. Honestly like I said eight months ago, people booed us off the field, on the very same field the players got a standing ovation. A lot of credit must go into the players for unselfishly buying into our system, our value system and creating this environment."

The Springboks have opted to play France with a squad built mostly on homegrown players, and, so far, the strategy has worked to perfection. Just four players in the 31-man team predominantly play their rugby abroad.

Les Bleus have struggled for form in 2017, and a few key injuries haven't helped heading into and during this series. Camille Lopez and Djibril Camara are crucial players for coach Guy Noves, who have struggled in all areas of the pitch but particularly with set pieces.

France are working their way back to full strength, and led by star youngster Gael Fickou, they should be able to provide the hosts with a sterner test in Johannesburg. But if flanker Siya Kolisi keeps up his unbelievable form, it's hard to see the Springboks losing the final match in this series.

Jacaranda FM's Echbert Boezak rightly praised the 26-year-old for his incredible showing in the second Test:

https://twitter.com/EchbertB/status/876114877227708416

In front of the Jo'burg crowd, which tends to be quite vocal, the Boks will have the advantage in momentum and arguably talent as well. Unless things go drastically wrong, South Africa should finish the job and earn the sweep.

Australia will be looking to bounce back from their surprise defeat to Scotland last week when they take on Italy in their final June international at Brisbane's Suncorp Stadium on Saturday.

The Wallabies have a perfect record against the Italians having never lost to them, and in the most recent meeting between the two sides, Australia ran out 50-20 away winners in Turin in 2013.

It would be a huge shock if the Azzurri were to claim victory, especially in Australia, but the hosts will be acutely aware they cannot afford to be complacent.

Read on for a preview of the clash, along with scheduling and viewing details. 

Date: Saturday, June 23

Time: 6 a.m. BST, 1 a.m. ET, 3 p.m. local 

Live Stream: Sky Go (UK), Tenplay (AUS)

      

Preview

In the wake of the Scotland defeat, it is now vital Australia put in a good performance against Italy and earn a decent win.

The 2017 Rugby Championship begins in early August, and the Wallabies cannot afford to again start the tournament on the back of disappointing midyear results.

Last year England claimed a whitewash summer series victory against the Aussies, and head coach Michael Cheika's side ended up being thrashed by New Zealand in their opening Rugby Championship fixture.

Australia scrum-half Will Genia outlined how significant the Italy game now is, per the Daily Telegraph's Iain Payten: "It's big. We have to make sure we prepare well, but more than anything perform well against Italy on Saturday so we can have some sort of confidence and momentum moving into what it is going to be quite a tough Rugby Championship."

Genia, 29, scored a try in the 24-19 defeat to Scotland but was also partially culpable for two of the tries Australia conceded.

Cheika's side need to show much greater discipline against Italy both in possession and at the breakdown.

In truth, they have the quality to beat head coach Conor O'Shea's side while not playing at their best.

The Italians endured a chastening Six Nations earlier this year as they lost every match, while they have also been downed by Fiji and Scotland already in June.

However, a scrappy victory for Australia will not suffice as they look to build some momentum ahead of the Rugby Championship in August.

And Italy do have the capabilities to cause problems. They beat an admittedly poor South Africa side at home in Florence last November and caused England all kinds of problems in the Six Nations with some novel tactics, per BBC Sport's Tom Fordyce.

Australia have not enjoyed the best form of late, but a defeat to Italy would be a new low.

They have more than enough quality to thrash Italy, especially on home soil, but need to be a lot more clinical in the lead-up to the Rugby Championship. 

The British and Irish Lions face their toughest examination of the 2017 tour of New Zealand so far on Saturday, as they take on the All Blacks in the first of three Test matches.

The Lions are coming off a win over Super Rugby side Chiefs but have already suffered losses against Blues and Highlanders, while the hosts are coming off a huge 78-0 win over Samoa.

Here's everything you need to know about the upcoming Test:

Date: Saturday, June 24

Time: 8:35 a.m. BST/3:35 a.m. ET

Venue: Eden Park, Auckland

TV Info: Sky Sports 1 (UK)

Live Stream: Sky Go

     

Preview

The Lions haven't faced New Zealand since 2005, when the All Blacks easily swept their opponents aside. After some great showings in 2016, the hosts are again the clear favourites entering this series.

With 14 wins in their last 15 Tests―only Ireland have knocked them off their perch―the All Blacks are in sensational form.

As reported by Patrick McKendry of the New Zealand Herald, Lions head coach Warren Gatland knows his team will have to play at a high level to have any chance of winning: 

"To play the All Blacks you have to be bold, you have to take risks. We've been saying that to the players and encouraging them. ... We know we've got to be courageous coming here. We know we have to be bold and play some positive rugby."

With Billy Vunipola and Ben Youngs no longer in the squad, the Lions have taken some hits during the tour. The visitors still boast tremendous talent―replacing scrum-half Youngs with a star such as Greig Laidlaw is a unique luxury―but the same holds true for the All Blacks.

Ardie Savea will move to the bench to make way for the returning Kieran Read, who will captain the side. Rieko Ioane, the 20-year-old who faced the Lions for the Blues, will also start, per the team's official website.

Gatland, a native Kiwi, has hinted at a more adventurous tactical plan as opposed to the team's reliance on the breakdown and kicking game, but given the All Blacks' incredible ability on the counter and strength out wide, that may not be such a great idea.

New Zealand haven't lost a Test at Eden Park since 1994. The All Blacks have no real weaknesses and shouldn't be troubled too much by a good Lions squad that has been too inconsistent so far during their tour.

Jack Nowell scored a brace for the British & Irish Lions on Tuesday as they comfortably beat the Chiefs 34-6 at the Waikato Stadium in Hamilton, New Zealand. 

Nowell scored the only try of the first half with the Lions going in 13-6 up as two Stephen Donald penalties provided the Chiefs' only reply. He added another in the second after the Lions were awarded a penalty try, and Jared Payne also got in on the act.

The Lions have now picked up their fourth win from six matches on their tour of New Zealand and will play the All Blacks on Saturday in the first Test match.

The Lions started on the front foot and Courtney Lawes set the tone with a steal from a lineout, per Planet Rugby's Ben Coles: 

How about that for a steal @Courtney_Lawes. pic.twitter.com/k6O6XDjRjH

— Ben Coles (@bencoles_) June 20, 2017

The visitors put the first points on the board through Dan Biggar after 10 minutes. Liam Williams had dropped a pass from Biggar as the Lions advanced in search of a try, but the Chiefs were penalised and the Welshman made no mistake from between the posts.

Another poor lineout handed the Lions a second penalty eight minutes later, with Biggar doubling their lead.

Chiefs captain Donald pulled back three points with a kick of his own as the hosts tried to fight their way back to level terms, but they struggled to get going in the face of the Lions' tenacious defending.

The lineout proved the Chiefs' undoing once more when a knock on gifted their opponents a scrum, after which they advanced on the right before working the ball through Williams and Biggar.

The latter was stopped just short of the line, but Nowell reacted quickly to pick it up from the ruck and drive over from close range. ESPN's Tom Hamilton hailed Biggar's contribution as he added the extras:

Dan Biggar, apart from the high hit, is having some game. Lawes and Nowell also putting their hands up for the Lions. #CHIvBIL #LionsNZ2017

— Tom Hamilton (@tomhamiltonespn) June 20, 2017

Donald's penalty on the stroke of half-time was the only source of frustration for the Lions in an otherwise excellent first half, as it ensured they would only go in seven points ahead despite their dominant performance.

The hosts lasted 15 minutes in the second half without conceding as they looked to put in a better defensive showing, but in the space of 10 minutes the visitors sealed the result with three devastating blows.

First came the penalty try when the Lions powerfully drove a maul over the line, and Nowell scored his second by finishing off a superb counter-attack led by Elliot Daly:

WATCH: Nowell scores the try of the tour so far! 🦁👏 Sky Sports 1 now. Brought to you by @SLI_Global. https://t.co/JJcGbA3WfO

— Sky Sports Rugby Union (@SkySportsRugby) June 20, 2017

An outstanding run and offload from Williams to Payne completed the rout:

WATCH: Payne scores another cracker to make it Chiefs 6-34 Lions. Sky Sports 1 now. Brought to you by @SLI_Global. https://t.co/EGLx0J6n1p

— Sky Sports Rugby Union (@SkySportsRugby) June 20, 2017

The Lions have now strung back-to-back wins together for the first time on this year's Tour.

It bodes well ahead of taking on New Zealand on Saturday in what will undoubtedly be their toughest test yet.

While there were a number of excellent performances from the likes of Nowell, Biggar and Williams, it may not be enough to force their way into Gatland's plans for the first All Blacks clash.

The British & Irish Lions face the Chiefs in the sixth match of their 2017 tour of New Zealand on Tuesday.

The Lions will be aiming for their fourth win from the tour and back-to-back victories ahead of their first clash with the All Blacks on June 24.

Read on for a full preview of the match, but first, here are the schedule details for the contest at the Waikato Stadium in Hamilton:

      

Date: Tuesday, June 20

Time: 8:35 a.m. BST, 7:35 p.m. local

TV: Sky Sports 1 (UK)

Live Stream: Sky Go (UK)

     

The Lions enjoyed perhaps their most impressive result yet on this year's tour in their last match as they beat the Maori All Blacks 32-10 on Saturday.

ESPN's Tom Hamilton hailed their performance:

Huge result for the Lions. They win 32-10 against the Maori. Itoje, Kruis, O'Brien and Sexton superb.

FT: Maori All Blacks 10-32 Lions

— Tom Hamilton (@tomhamiltonespn) June 17, 2017

However, it will be difficult to gauge if they can put in a repeat showing against the Chiefs. Per the Lions' official Twitter account, coach Warren Gatland has named an entirely changed starting lineup for the upcoming clash:

ICYMI: The Lions team has been announced for #CHIvBIL...

➡️ https://t.co/UOrIFljaVl #LionsNZ2017 #AllForOne pic.twitter.com/7QGe9GBP9s

— British & Irish Lions (@lionsofficial) June 18, 2017

Per Charlie Talbot-Smith of the Lions' website, Gatland said: "The players can put themselves in the frame for potential selection for Saturday, we will need players to double up, and for later in the Tour."

He added: 

"We won’t sit down as a coaching team to pick the team until Wednesday and I think that’s only fair to the players taking the field on Tuesday night.

"They’ve got to go out there and perform and know that a good performance will count for a lot towards the end of the Tour.

"If someone has a great performance there’s always an opportunity and if it’s not for this weekend, a great performance may come into consideration for Test two or three."

Rory Best will captain the side, and he has been met with nothing but positivity from his team-mates:

🎥It's 'Sir' @rorybest2 to you 😂#AllForOne #LionsNZ2017 pic.twitter.com/O6p9NBHNi9

— British & Irish Lions (@lionsofficial) June 19, 2017

The six players Gatland called up this week—Tomas Francis, Allan Dell, Kristian Dacey, Cory Hill, Gareth Davies and Finn Russell—will all be on the bench for the match.

The Chiefs will be a tough prospect for the Lions. Not only have they won the Super Rugby twice in the last five years, but they also demolished Wales 40-7 last year.

It's an excellent opportunity for the players to earn more game time later in the tour, though, as Gatland pointed out. With the three tests against New Zealand looming, there will be none lacking for motivation here.

England won their second summer international test match in a row against Argentina, beating the Pumas 35-25 one week after securing a 38-34 win. Substitute Will Collier scored a late try to break a 25-25 deadlock as England eventually eased into a healthy winning margin.

Earlier, the visitors relied on a strong game from fly-half George Ford, who scored 15 points, while Piers Francis scored his maiden try on his England debut.

Ford's performance helped take England into an early lead, but the visitors were soon pegged back by the Pumas. Argentina were helped by the prolific form of their own gifted No. 10, Nicolas Sanchez.

The skipper's boot kicked the hosts into a slender advantage after Joaquin Tuculet had put Argentina's first try on the board.

At this point, BBC Sport was already anticipating another close-fought and narrow finish between these two:

This has the makings of another thriller.

Two quick penalties put Argentina into a 13-10 lead over England.

Watch https://t.co/zCUMJLMMrH pic.twitter.com/iuOWy5Ksf8

— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) June 17, 2017

England appeared on the ropes, but Ford's smart kicking positioned them to regain the lead. They were back in front when first-time international Francis powered over.

Francis was congratulated on his maiden international try by his new club, the Northampton Saints:

😇🌹 TRRRRRRYYYYYYYY! First @EnglandRugby start, first @EnglandRugby try for @piers_francis!!

A great support line from the future Saintsman!

— Northampton Saints 😇 (@SaintsRugby) June 17, 2017

The swift fly-half had impressed from the start, catching the eye of Neil Fissler of the Sunday Express:

Looks like Northampton might have signed a decent player in Piers Francis. #ARGvENG

— Neil Fissler (@neilfissler) June 17, 2017

Argentina tied the score when Pablo Matera went over, but Sanchez missed the conversion. The home side were level for just four minutes as Danny Care powered England back in front.

Three minutes later, the scores were level again when Emiliano Boffelli scored Argentina's third try.

England's fightback was keyed by typical power in the scrum. The visitors forced the issue until sub Collier crossed the line.

Ford soon chipped in with another penalty conversion to seal the victory.

Another dramatic win kept the excitement high on this summer tour, with Fissler highlighting the difference in intensity and entertainment between these friendlies and the British Lions Tour:

How about we forget the first Lions test next week and just play a third game against Argentina. Been two superb games. #ARGvENG

— Neil Fissler (@neilfissler) June 17, 2017

This has been more than just a warm-up for some of England's key players. It's also been a chance to gain vital test experience for new players such as Francis.

The domestic international rugby setup should be stronger for the lessons learned during these matches.

England can wrap up a tour whitewash of hosts Argentina on Saturday when they face the Pumas in the second and final match of their travels at the Estadio B.G. Estanislao Lopez in Santa Fe.

Head coach Eddie Jones' men wheeled away from San Juan with a victory in hand last Saturday after debutant Denny Solomona arose with a minute remaining to seal a superb 38-34 win.

Eight tries were scored in total during the tour's opening fixture, and fans can look forward to a humdinger in the second Test, where Argentina's best hope of redemption is to end the series with one victory apiece.

The Six Nations champions are dealing with a list of key absences due to the timing of the British and Irish Lions' tour to New Zealand, but that hasn't stopped England impressing thus far.

Read on for a preview of Saturday's last tour fixture, complete with all the vital viewing information to ensure you don't miss the end of England's trip to South America.

     

Date: Saturday, June 17

Time: 8:15 p.m. BST/3:15 p.m. ET

Venue: Estadio B.G. Estanislao Lopez, Santa Fe

Live Stream: BBC Sport website (UK), BBC iPlayer (UK)

TV Info: BBC Two (UK)

     

Preview

England are riding high on a wave of confidence crafted by their own hand in last Saturday's morale-boosting win in San Juan, but Jones won't let the result shroud a display that could have easily led to defeat.

Scores from Emiliano Boffelli, Tomas Lavanini, Jeronimo de la Fuente and Joaquin Tuculet saw the Pumas draw level in tries on the day, and statistician Simon Gleave even argued it was the home side that perhaps should have won:

Here are the "22 entries" for #ARGvENG. The Pumas had 8 and England had 6. Argentina probably shouldn't have lost this match. pic.twitter.com/9qK3kSBKcn

— Simon Gleave (@SimonGleave) June 10, 2017

But those who take risks reap the rewards, and rugby league convert Solomona, 23, came up with a lung-busting run after coming off the bench to keep England on path for a tour success.

That won't be the case if they don't win in Santa Fe on Saturday, however, and the Telegraph's Charlie Morgan highlighted it wasn't all positive for Solomona, whose try painted over some of his earlier errors:

SOLOMONA MISSED THREE TACKLES IN HIS FIRST TWO MINUTES AS AN ENGLAND PLAYER AND NOW HE'S DONE THAT AND BCHEKMlAOWPCNTOALDBTWK

— Charlie Morgan (@CharlieFelix) June 10, 2017

The lead changed hands six times in total last weekend in what was an even and open tug of war, and England had the late burst to triumph despite handing 10 players their senior international debuts in a tough setting.

One of those was Solomona, whom Jones heaped praise upon in his post-match comments. The England coach also said the Sale Sharks winger would be working on his defence as a priority, per the Telegraph's Daniel Schofield:

“Denny made two horrendous errors in defence but got one back. He is going to be doing some defensive work next week. If you see him tackling tackle bags in the streets of Buenos Aires you know why. I thought it was an incredible game of rugby.

"I thought for our guys to win that was a tremendous effort. In the end I think we had ten new caps on there and to show poise and stick to what we needed to do in the circumstances was an unbelievable effort from the young guys. We came here to win 2-0 and that’s what we are going to do. The big thing for young players is being able to back it up."

England are experimenting with some very green assets in South America, with the likes of Alex Lozowski, Tom Curry and front-rowers Ellis Genge and Harry Williams still finding their feet in international waters.

The team also contains veterans of the national team, however, and Rugby World's Paul Williams picked out lock Joe Launchbury for particular praise in the first game:

Rewatched England v Argentina earlier.

Man alive.

Joe Launchbury must be one of the unluckiest players of all time not to be a Lion.

— Paul Williams (@thepaulwilliams) June 11, 2017

Of the eight tries scored in Game 1, only one (Lavanini) was scored by a forward, illustrating the kind of open, expansive rugby Argentina tend to encourage, largely as that's where much of their strength lies.

England will need to play a tactical masterclass to keep the ball away from the Pumas' strengths, and fighting to 80 minutes through ugly means may not be unexpected for Jones and Co. as they seek a second tour win.