England’s rugby team will avoid wearing any national kit while out in Buenos Aires as World Cup fever spikes anti-English hostility in Argentina.
Steve Borthwick’s squad are based in the Argentinian capital until Thursday when they head to Santiago del Estero in the north of the country for the final assignment of their 25,000-mile July tour.
As a precautionary step, they are not wearing any team-branded kit in public as interest in the clash between Thomas Tuchel’s side and the current World Cup holders grips the country.
England will be cheering on their football compatriots from their team hotel and Tommy Freeman knows the outcome could have repercussions for what is coming their way at Estadio Unico Madre de Ciudades.
“We’ll see how hostile it gets here,” the British and Irish Lions wing said. “It’s big for Argentina and us and being here it’s heightened massively.
“I think they’ll probably be angry if we win the semi-final, so Saturday could be a tough game.
“We know they’re a passionate country. We are too and they’ll want to compete to the fullest and we’ll be ready for that.”
So far it has been business as usual for England’s rugby team as they prepare for their final Nations Championship match this month with no extra security needed around the squad despite their location.
However, their players have not been taking any risks when walking around Buenos Aires.
“Bearing in mind where we are and who we’re playing, we’ve been pretty sensible about not wearing our England shirts around too much,” second row Alex Coles said.
“We had them all out in Liverpool after the Fiji game last weekend and got a bit of a better reception than we might do here!”
Coles was present when Three Lions boss Tuchel and his assistants visited England’s camp in March and as a passionate football fan who supports Arsenal, he took the opportunity to talk with the German.
“It was really interesting to have a small chat with him and pick his brains about how he thinks about the game,” Coles said.
“He’s a pragmatist, but he’s also very good at motivating his players. You can see how hard everyone works and he’s picked players who want to work for their team.
“I’ve been very impressed: Elliot Anderson just works his socks off the whole game, Declan Rice puts himself about through injury and illness. There’s so much to be admired just in that as a trait.
“As an Englishman, you want to think that that’s something that’s part of our national psyche – that hard work and determination. And then you have the quality of Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane as well
“And Bukayo Saka – as an Arsenal fan I’ll give him a shout him out!”
PA
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