| Venue: Stade de France, Paris Date: Friday, 27 October Kick-off: 20:00 BST |
| Coverage: Commentary on BBC Radio 5 Live (build-up from 19:00 BST), plus text updates on the BBC Sport website and app. |
Give it nine months and it might make sense.
Then, at the height of summer 2024, when Olympic athletes are racing round Stade de France, a bronze medal will carry some weight.
On Friday, though, England and Argentina will compete for the bottom step of a non-existent podium. The only metal that matters this weekend is the golden Webb Ellis Cup that New Zealand and South Africa will contest the following night.
For England, the motivation against Argentina will be a test of mettle, rather than a wrestle for medals.
“It is a bit of a battle to see who has got the mental resilience to bounce back,” said retiring England scrum-half Ben Youngs on the BBC’s Rugby Union Daily podcast earlier this week.
“Who has got it in them to say: ‘This is the benchmark we are at and we have to bring it again, whether you like it or not?’
“It’s not what we wanted but we have an opportunity to go again.”
As England strode out into an empty Stade de France for a final training run on Thursday, Youngs was part of a cluster of veterans at the front of the group.
Courtney Lawes, for whom the gut-punch semi-final defeat by South Africa brought a Test career to an end, was alongside him.
Dan Cole and Joe Marler, bulwarks against the Springbok scrum until deep into the second half, were alongside him.
If it was a ceremonial send-off for those reaching the end of the road, no-one would confirm.
England won’t the only team with holes to patch up once this tournament is done.
Johnny Sexton, at the centre of Ireland’s bid a fortnight ago, is already feeling the sting of sofa life, admitting this week he was finding the wrench of leaving rugby hard.
Team-mate Keith Earls has called it a day. Peter O’Mahony and Conor Murray sound as if they may well do the same.
Wales standard-setter Dan Biggar is packing it in. New Zealand’s Aaron Smith, Brodie Retallick and Sam Whitelock will dance in black for a final time this weekend.
Eras end and, given rugby’s bruising four-year cycle, often they are swept away with the tickertape of a World Cup trophy lift.
Some exciting talent is waiting in the wings for England, though, even if it is concentrated unevenly across the pitch.
Tom Pearson, Tom Willis and Zach Mercer were all close to World Cup selection, with Chandler Cunningham-South, Alfie Barbeary and new Bristol captain Fitz Harding also ones to watch.
However, with Ben Earl and Tom Curry excelling in France along with the versatile Leicester pair of Ollie Chessum and George Martin, the back row cupboard is looking well stocked.
Similarly at scrum-half, Jack van Poortvliet and Raffi Quirke, both 22, look ready to provide immediate and serious competition to Alex Mitchell after various untimely injuries.
England are less well set in the front row.
While 23-year-old Bevan Rodd looked to be the coming man a couple of autumns ago, with starts in wins over Australia and South Africa, he doesn’t seem to have convinced Steve Borthwick, with only one appearance so far at the World Cup.
Gloucester’s Val Rapava Ruskin, at 31, might yet emerge as a loose-head option at Test level, while the Rugby Football Union’s new fast-track tight-five academy polishes up its first products.
Hooker Jamie George has gone deep in every game that matter for England, reflecting a lack of concerted challengers.
There are a wealth of wings who might step into the gaps left by Jonny May’s forthcoming retirement from Test rugby, Anthony Watson’s persistent injuries and Max Malins’ desire to concentrate on playing full-back.
Henry Arundell’s international future is also far from clear with at least a year at French side Racing 92 limiting his availability.
Leicester’s Ollie Hassell-Collins, Newcastle’s Adam Radwan and Northampton’s Tommy Freeman have all been around the England set-up before while Sale’s trio of talented back-three operators – Tom Roebuck, Joe Carpenter and Aaron Reed – will have aspirations to move up to the international stage, along with Saracens’ Tom Parton and Exeter’s Josh Hodge.
With Borthwick leaning understandably and successfully on the group of Leicester players he knows from a Premiership title win under his guidance, Dan Kelly – who is also qualified for Ireland – could be next in line when Joe Marchant stays in France and slips out of selection contention at Stade Francais next season.
Will Joseph, Max Ojomoh and Phil Cokanasiga could all follow in the footsteps of famous relatives and win first caps if Borthwick is looking for more midfield options.
For the moment though, Borthwick and his squad are looking no further than the end of the tournament and the last part of a long campaign.
As they jogged through some drills for the final time in France, the mood seemed almost demob happy.
If Tom Curry wanted something to divert his attention from a difficult week, Sale team-mate Rodd, Sam Underhill and old-stagers Marler and George provided it, chatting away with as they warmed up in front of photographers.
Friday’s match will be a chance to add consolation to distraction for Curry. And then it will be time for Borthwick to add some less familiar faces to the mix.
