Mario Ledesma has dropped two of his most experienced players for Saturday’s crucial game against England here that Argentina have to win to avoid an early flight back to Buenos Aires.

The Pumas head coach has left out the outside-half Nicolás Sánchez from the matchday squad while the hooker Agustín Creevy is among the replacements for a match Ledesma describes as his side’s World Cup final. Sánchez, who started the opening round defeat to France, made no impact when he came off the bench against Tonga the following week.

Creevy, who started 36 consecutive Tests after the last World Cup until Julian Montoya was given an opportunity earlier this year, is among the replacements after his rival scored a hat-trick of tries against Tonga. Five of the side started the last match against England in November 2017.

“There is nothing negative in the selection,” said Ledesma. “We have picked the team we think is the best to beat England. It is an opportunity to put ourselves into the history book of Argentinian rugby. What gives me confidence is the work we have been doing and the mindset of the players.

“This is our World Cup final against a team that is among the contenders. Eddie Jones has been saying that for the last four years. They had considerable resources and a great team, but I strongly believe that it is going to be really hard for them to beat us.”

Thirteen of the side play for the Jaguares in Super Rugby. The Saracens’ prop Juan Figallo and Sánchez’s replacement, the 33-year old Benjamín Urdapilleta who plays for Castres, are the exceptions, but while the Jaguares have after four years made an impact in what the Pumas’ captain, Pablo Matera, described as the best tournament in the world, Argentina have bobbed along the bottom of the Rugby Championship.

“The results we have had before are not important,” said Ledesma. If we win this game, we are in the quarter-finals, that is how big this game is: we have everything to win and nothing to lose.” Victory would guarantee them nothing, although if it came garnished with a bonus point a maximum five in their final game against the United States would see them through.”

“England are a side that does not have many weaknesses, but we will make it a difficult contest for them. They are up there with the best sides in the world and they are one of four candidates for the trophy, but this is a big opportunity for us and we will be up for it. I am really excited.”