World Cup fast-track begins in Argentina

YOUR starter for 10: what might Jason Leonard, Richard Cockerill, Danny Grewcock and Martin Corry have in common, apart from a deep commitment to the England cause and a sinister mastery of rugby's darker arts? The correct answer: they made their international debuts on Argentine soil, the last three of them at moments when established first-teamers were doing something bigger and better with their time, like touring with the British and Irish Lions.

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Tony Diprose was another significant forward to be blooded as a Test operator down there in Puma territory during a Lions window: a year later, in 1998, he found himself leading his country in the opening Test of the all-too-appropriately named "tour from hell". Billy Vunipola would take a similar route to international honours in 2013, as did a bloke by the name of Tom Curry at the end of the subsequent fixture cycle. Sam Underhill and Mark Wilson also made their breakthroughs on that 2017 trip.

It’s getting to be quite the list already, and we haven’t even considered those blessed with sufficient pace and skill to spend their Saturday afternoons swanning around outside the scrum. Two examples will suffice: Jonny May, who developed into the hottest of hot-shot wings, made his breakthrough in Argentina alongside Vunipola, following on from the subtly gifted outside-half Alex King (who, but for Mr JP Wilkinson Esq, might have won a hatful of caps rather than a thimbleful) back in '97.