LONDON (AP) — England finally has its dream lineup of inside backs.

Marcus Smith, Owen Farrell and Manu Tuilagi.

The trio played together once, a year ago in a win against Australia, but Tuilagi was out on the wing.

He's back where he's feared the most, at center, for England's home series opener against Argentina on Sunday at Twickenham.

Ideally for England, the trio will lead the backline into the Rugby World Cup next September in France. By coincidence, England and Argentina are set for a crunch match on the second day of the tournament in Marseille.

But England coach Eddie Jones has had little luck in getting all three fit at the same time.

Tuilagi's injury woes are legion. This test marks only his seventh since the 2019 Rugby World Cup and first in a year. In Tuilagi's lengthy absences, Jones has struggled to replace him. “Manu has got certain qualities which no other center in England has got,” he said.

Farrell combined with newcomer Smith for the first time last November in that Australia win then limped off with the start of his ankle issues. He missed the Six Nations but reunited with Smith on the successful tour of Australia in July.

This is their fifth test together, so they are a work in progress also tasked with unleashing the destructive force that is Tuilagi, when he's fit.

“It's been delightful to have those three together,” Jones said to no surprise. “They've only had three training runs but each time they get a little bit sharper, a bit more cohesive.”

Farrell has also regained the captaincy after Courtney Lawes remained sidelined by concussion. Jones revealed last month that Lawes was made captain partly because he communicated better with referees. Farrell is intense and says he isn't going to change his personality.

“There are different captains all over the world,” Farrell said.

“There have been really, really calm ones that are good. And there's been some explosive ones that have been really good as well. There are still a few of those knocking about now. I want to be me and I want to work on how I be a better me.”

Argentina has the undivided attention of Michael Cheika after the Lebanon side he was also coaching lost in the Rugby League World Cup quarterfinals on Friday night in Huddersfield.

Cheika, a second generation Australian-Lebanese, spent this week splitting time between the two camps in Leeds and London.

“It's gone a bit simpler than I thought it would, the travelling between the two, the messaging between the two,” Cheika said.

“We did plenty of preparation beforehand with Argentina. It hasn't been as stressful as it could have been, it's been pretty seamless.”

The Pumas have enjoyed a lively first few months under Cheika. With the Rugby World Cup in mind, he's been trying to upgrade their preparation and some of their style.

They have had some success. A first home series win in 15 years at Scotland's expense, and a first win against New Zealand in New Zealand.

“Winning at Twickenham would be a first for many of our players,” Cheika added. "We know they are lofty ambitions.

“We need to be focusing more on our own personal scoreboard as a team (against England). We've picked out four or five things that are very important for us and if we can excel at those, then as always happens in rugby, let the cards falls where they do when it comes to the scoreboard.”

The scoreboard hasn't been kind to the Pumas. They have lost to England in 10 straight tests. They haven't beaten England since 2009, and not in England since 2006. And they come in on a three-test losing run with a mainly unchanged side.

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Lineups:

England: Freddie Steward, Jack Nowell, Manu Tuilagi, Owen Farrell (captain), Joe Cokanasiga, Marcus Smith, Ben Youngs; Billy Vunipola, Tom Curry, Maro Itoje, Jonny Hill, Alex Coles, Kyle Sinckler, Luke Cowan-Dickie, Ellis Genge. Reserves: Jack Singleton, Mako Vunipola, Joe Heyes, David Ribbans, Sam Simmonds, Jack Willis, Jack van Poortlviet, Henry Slade.

Argentina: Juan Cruz Mallia, Mateo Carreras, Matias Moroni, Jeronimo de la Fuente, Emiliano Boffelli, Santiago Carreras, Gonzalo Bertranou; Pablo Matera, Marcos Kremer, Juan Martin Gonzalez, Tomas Lavanini, Matias Alemanno, Francisco Gomez Kodela, Julian Montoya (captain), Thomas Gallo. Reserves: Ignacio Ruiz, Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro, Eduardo Bello, Lucas Paulos, Facundo Isa, Eliseo Morales, Tomas Albornoz, Matias Orlando.

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