Woodward ready to risk new troops

Clive Woodward was at pains yesterday to remind his Argentinian hosts that England had not travelled to South America on a "missionary visit", but to win a Test match. While the manager was equally insistent that this new red rose generation was perfectly capable of delivering the goods at the highest level, there is a genuine risk of the tourists finding themselves in the missionary position when the supremely physical Pumas get to grips with them this weekend.

A third of the starting line-up – Michael Horak and Geoff Appleford of London Irish, Phil Christophers of Bristol, Ben Johnston of Saracens and the Harlequins lock Alex Codling – will make their international debuts at the Velez Sarsfield Stadium, a venue the manager describes as among the most intimidating in world rugby. But Woodward has pulled this stunt before – he capped a quintet of newcomers against the Wallabies at Twickenham in November 1997 and against the same opposition in Brisbane seven months later – and is not fazed by the prospect of doing it again.

"You don't get to know and understand players until you work closely with them, and over the last few weeks these new caps have emerged as extremely focused young men," he said. "People like Horak and Appleford have a fantastic attitude, as well as the size and pace to do well in international rugby. Will they handle the unique atmosphere of a Buenos Aires Test better than the French did last Saturday? We won't know until the match is played. What I do know is that we will be better prepared than the French. I see this as a big opportunity for a number of people."

One of the more familiar figures in a seriously unfamiliar side, Tim Stimpson, can certainly count himself among that number. Intriguingly, Leicester's goal-kicking full-back will neither kick goals nor play in his usual position, but occupy the right-wing berth. "We know Tim can kick, but when I am watching tapes of his performances in club rugby, I tend to fast-forward that part of his game and concentrate on what he does with the ball in play," Woodward said. "I believe he has brought something new to his game recently, and I want to see how he performs in this environment."

Stimpson's presence alongside Horak and Christophers in an untested back three means there is no place for the Sale wing, Mark Cueto, whose technical deficiencies in contact situations outweigh his natural prowess as a finisher in the minds of the England hierarchy. Even so, Cueto can consider himself the recipient of an unwarranted smack in the teeth. Having finished the domestic season as the Premiership's leading scorer, he created and completed a blinding try against Argentina A on Monday night. It is hoped that his time will come.

As expected, another of Sale's exciting and inventive back division, the outside-half Charlie Hodgson, will kick the goals. It is safe to say he will find himself in uncharted waters, for no spectators – not even the French at their most combustible – are more committed than the Argentinians when it comes to distracting a visiting marksman with boos and catcalls.

"It will be a test for Charlie, for sure," Woodward acknowledged. "But that kind of pressure – the pressure David Beckham experiences when he takes a penalty for England – is why people play professional sport. Anyway, we'll make sure he's ready. We've given Dave Alred [the kicking coach] a whistle, and he'll be blowing it in Charlie's ear for the rest of the week."

ENGLAND v Argentina (Buenos Aires, Saturday: M Horak (London Irish); T Stimpson (Leicester), G Appleford (London Irish), B Johnston (Saracens), P Christophers (Bristol); C Hodgson (Sale), A Gomarsall (Gloucester); D Flatman (Saracens), S Thompson (Northampton), P Vickery (Gloucester, capt), A Codling (Harlequins), B Kay (Leicester), A Sanderson (Sale), L Moody (Leicester), J Worsley (Wasps). Replacements: M Regan (Bath), T Woodman (Gloucester), H Vyvyan (Newcastle), A Balding (Leicester), N Walshe (Sale), D Walder (Newcastle), K Sorrell (Saracens).