England undergo a test of strength

ENGLAND'S HEADLONG dash towards next Saturday's first Test in Argentina continues with the second match of this compact tour …

ENGLAND'S HEADLONG dash towards next Saturday's first Test in Argentina continues with the second match of this compact tour against Buenos Aries.

The proximity of the international match and the strength of today's provincial opponents explains why England have retained seven of the side who performed so well in the midweek win over Cordoba.

In the backs Andy Gomarsall and Alex King, the freshfaced Wasps pair, take over from Kyran Bracken and Mike Catt. Otherwise it is the same again, with the highly promising centre partnership of Phil de Glanville and Nick Greenstock given a further chance to gel.

Up front England hold out a selectorial carrot to Bath's Canadian born prop Kevin Yates. The 17 stone loose head has travelled the world with his father, who is in the army, living on posts as far apart as Hong Kong, Germany and Medicine Hat, Saskatchewan (his birthplace and home until the age of two).

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Buenos Aries, whose danger man is the talented outside half Jose Cilley, are considered unlucky to have lost out to Cordoba in the recently completed provincial championship.

. Kevin Bowring's Wales A side will meet an unsettled Romanian XV when they clash in Bucharest today.

The Welsh national coach has been forced to make a series of changes this week because of injury. However, despite having to make five changes to his original side, one of them positional, Bowring will still have nine full caps in his ranks.

Pontypridd scrum half Paul John skippers the team and all eyes will be on his half back partner, Arwel Thomas, as he continues his fight back to match fitness.