Coles handed England debut against Argentina

Coles, who can also play flanker, has scored three tries in seven appearances for Northampton this season

Alex Coles will make his England debut in the second row against Argentina on Sunday as Maro Itoje moves to flanker to cover the injured Courtney Lawes.

Owen Farrell captains the team and is paired with Manu Tuilagi in midfield.

Ben Youngs starts ahead of Jack van Poortvliet at scrum-half while Billy Vunipola continues at number eight.

Vunipola, who started all three of England's Tests against Australia in the summer after more than a year out of the set-up, is joined in the matchday squad by brother Mako, who is among the replacements.

• Vunipola relishing Test 'rebirth'

Jonny May was in contention to play despite dislocating his elbow on 21 October, but misses out on the wing with Joe Cokanasiga and Jack Nowell preferred.

Back row Jack Willis, without a club since Wasps were placed in administration, is on the bench.

Lawes is still making his way back from a concussion sustained on club duty in September.

It is the first time that coach Eddie Jones has picked a 10-12-13 combination of Marcus Smith, Farrell and Tuilagi, which he hopes will gel before next year's World Cup in France.

England take on Japan, New Zealand and South Africa on successive weekends after their meeting with the Pumas.

England team to face Argentina: Steward; Cokanasiga, Tuilagi, Farrell (c), Nowell; Smith, Youngs; Genge, Cowan-Dickie, Sinckler, Coles, Hill, Itoje, Curry, B Vunipola.

Replacements: Singleton, M Vunipola, Heyes, Ribbans, Simmonds, Willis, Van Poortvliet, Slade

"It's been a really good week of preparation and I've been very pleased with the squad's attitude," said Jones.

"They've shown real work ethic and a determination to improve and our leaders, Owen [Farrell], Ellis [Genge] and Jack [Nowell] have really lifted the team.

"We're looking forward to a great game of rugby at a full Twickenham Stadium against a very good Argentina side."

Saint Coles steps up to the plate

Coles has played alongside several of his senior Test team-mates, such as fly-half Marcus Smith, at age-grade level

Coles, whose mother and father are both vicars, can also play in the back row and has been tipped by Jones to put pressure on similarly versatile club team-mate Lawes.

"Playing for England has always been a massive goal for me, although it wasn't really in my immediate mindset at the start of the season," he told the Mail on Sunday last month.

"I won't get too far ahead of myself. You see a lot of players come and go in rugby and that makes you realise how quickly things can change."

Coles played in the England side that finished fifth at the 2019 Under-20 World Championship and has scored three tries in seven Premiership appearances for Northampton this season.