Ireland v Argentina: Autumn Nations Series rugby union – live | Autumn Nations Series

64th min: Argentina’s scrum creaks but they win the scrum penalty on their own 22. Looked to me like Ireland’ had the better of things, but what do I know about scrums? Albornoz kicks it long and Ruiz, on for Montoya, will throw around half-way.

Other changes for Ireland. Baird and Osborne come on for Ryan and Henshaw.

63rd min: Albornoz clears and Lowe runs it back. Argentina’s defence push Ireland back to half-way so Gibson-Park hoists a high kick. There’s a spill inside Argentina’s 22 so we’ll get a scrum. Sam Prendergast comes on to make his debut at the age of 21, replacing Crowley who had a top game. What a moment for the young lad. Can he be the hero Ireland need?

61st min: Better from Ireland off that scrum who played a string of loops – not quite Sexton, but not far off – as they went down the backline. But Argentina’s defence held so Ireland kick ahead. It’s fielded but the clearance doesn’t go long from a Pumas boot. Ireland get another throw inside opposition territory. McCarthy returns. They need to turn this momentum into points.

59th min: Kelleher misses his jumper and Argentina come away with the ball. But there’s a spill so Ireland have it back. It’s really messy from both sides with neither being able to string together a cohesive move. So we’ll go back for the scrum with Ireland feeding between the 22 and half-way with a short blind side to Ireland’s left.

58th min: Irish fans find their voice. They recognise that this game could slip away from their boys and they could do with a lift. Albornoz does well to field a kick from Crowley and takes a good mark. But his clearing kick skews off his boot and now Ireland have a chance to launch from a line-out inside Argentina’s half.

56th min: It’s messy ball for Argentina but they keep hold of it. Albornoz drops into the pocket and he has all the time in the world to take aim with a drop-goal. But he slices it wide. That was a bad miss from right in front. Also, I’m not sure it was necessary.

55th min: Hansen plucks a high ball from the skies under great pressure. That was class. Albornoz follows suit and wins the penalty as Crowley got his timing wrong and took his opposite number out in the air, just going too early with his tackle before Albornoz’s feet touched the ground. Ireland will now have to defend another line-out in their red zone.

53rd min: Ireland need a lift and Crowley tries to give it to them with a run back from a long Pumas kick. He can’t get through. Hansen then chucks a pass to nobody and it’s a line-out for Argentina on half-way. Ireland look ragged to be honest. Where is that famous cohesion and continuity?

Penalty! Ireland 22-19 Argentina (Albornoz, 52)

Yellow card! McCarthy (Ireland, 50)

48th min: Another line-out win for Argentina gives them ball around half-way. A high kick tests Keenan and Ireland have a a knock-on advantage. Those high kicks really are a 50-50. Oh, another penalty against Ireland as Lowe clattered a man off the ball. So soft! Ireland’s discipline has been really poor. Argentina kick to the corner and will get the throw around Ireland’s 22. Momentum has tangibly shifted.

TRY! Ireland 22-14 Argentina (Mallia, 46)

43rd min: Argentina’s attack can’t make any ground. Ireland’s defencve is too strong and too organised. But there is a penalty conceded by Ryan so Albornoz kicks into Ireland’s 22 where the Pumas will have the line-out. Oh but they spill it. Poor from Argentina. Crowley gets it and clears with a thumping boot. Great exit play.

41st min: Gibson-Park slams a long raking clearance. Argentina win the line-out and then Bertranou boxes around half-way but that goes up and not very far. Still, the Pumas win the ball and now they’re building through the phases. Ireland’s midfield is rock solid. Ringrose is having a great game on defence.

The players are making their way back onto the park. Argentina have yet to fire a shot. We’ve not seen their backline at all and they’ve barely had any joy at the breakdown. Ireland, with three tries, are in control thanks largely to Crowley at 10.

Brent Lindsay isn’t happy with the way this game has been officiated:

“Another terrible decision with the TMO coming in to overblown any minor incident. In the words of AFTV “when’s it gonna end Robbie”

Brent is referring to the two yellow cards, but I must say that I thought both were the right call. And I’m glad that neither was upgraded to a red.

Half-time: Ireland 22-9 Argentina

40th min: Another penalty in the red zone. Ireland get one final warning. Rather than maul Argentina chose to go down the line. Albornoz’s cross-field kick to the corner can’t find a teammate, but the bouncing ball causes all sorts of chaos. No time for the line-out so Argentina will tap and go.

39th min: Argentina’s maul splinters so Montoya charges alone. He bounces Lowe but Ireland’s defence regroups. There’s another penalty. The Pumas keep it with the forwards. They’re targeting the fringe of the ruck. Ireland hold them up but there was that penalty advantage. Albornoz goes to the corner again. Time for one more maul.

37th min: The Pumas win the line-out and go through the phases with a few short carries from the big boys. They make ground and then win the penalty. With the advantage they chance their arm and Cinti almost gets through but Ringrose makes a momentum-stopping hit so we go back for the penalty. Albornoz kicks to the corner. One last shot before half-time.

35th min: Argentina lose the ball after van der Flier nips in to steal it from Cinti who charged over the gainline. Ireland send it down the line before Lowe hoofs a clearance that finds touch.

34th min: Gibson-Park dallies on the ball at the base of the ruck and is clattered by Montoya who forces the knock-on. Scrum to Argentina on Ireland’s 22. A bit lapse that from a veteran scrum-half.

TRY! Ireland 22-9 Argentina (McCarthy, 32)

31st min: Ireland set the maul from the line-out and several backs also add their weight. But Argentina hold so Ireland have to go through the hands. The Pumas defence is brilliant but so is Ireland’s skill on the ball. Ringrose throws a dummy that no one buys. Doris with a carry but it’s Argentina who come away with the ball! Remarkable defence! Bertranou box kicks but it’s not long. So Ireland will get another line-out inside the red zone, albeit a little further back.

28th min: Ireland claim the restart and they set an attack inside Argentina’s 22. Kelleher with a strong carry. Henshaw attacks the midfield channel. Porter slips a tackle. Hansen finds Henshaw in the left tram. 10 phases now. Good from Ireland but Argentina hold firm. Ringrose to Henshaw. Half a chance. Gibson-Park is taken out without the ball and that’s a penalty. Needless from the Pumas. They were keeping Ireland at bay. Crowley again nudges to the corner and the crowd responds. Bealham back on.

Penalty! Ireland 15-9 Argentina (Albornoz, 26)

26th min: Argentina concede a free-kick at the scrum. Crowley lifts a high kick into the heavens but there’s an obstruction call as Kelleher found himself in front of the ball carrier. We’re inside Ireland’s half so Albornoz points to the sticks.

24th min: Gibson-Park smokes a box kick that provides some relief after the restart. Argentina have the line-out around half-way. Ruiz has to throw as Montoya is off for a blood check. Lowe gets low a little later and wins a turnover on the ground. Another box from Gibson-Park is brilliantly claimed by Isgro and Gonzalez spills it in contact so it’ll be an Irish scrum on half-way. Clarkson comes on to make his debut as Bealham is in the sin-bin and we need a complete front-row.

Bealham’s yellow remains yellow. Lucky, but perhaps the right call.

Drop-goal! Ireland 15-6 Argentina (Crowley, 21)

21st min: Ireland make a mess of the line-out and they’re pushed back beyond Argentina’s 22. They still have the ball and Porter charges into contact. Crowlety drops into the pocket….

19th min: Oviedo makes a stiff tackle on Ryan, but he tips him over the horizontal so it’ll be a penalty. Crowley nudges it into the corner and Ireland will have a chance five metres from the line.

Penalty! Ireland 12-6 Argentina (Albornoz, 18)

Yellow card! Bealham (Ireland, 17)

Potential croc-roll from Bealham. They’ll take a look on the big screen.

17th min: Argentina clear their lines with a big hoof from Albornoz. Crowley, full of confidence, opts to run it back and makes metres. Gibson-Park hoists a box that Hansen chases, but the winger knocks on as he climbs.

15th min: Ireland spill the ball from that scrum. Argentina opt to clear with a kick but Henshaw is running back into the maw soon enough. Ringrose straightens and gets over the gainline. Bealham with another carry. Better continuity this from Ireland. Ryan now and Beirne gets it in the left tram, he’s riding two tacklers, reaches out and tries to dot down, this will be a stunning try! But NO! He’s knocked it on over the line! Excellent defence from Moroni, back on the field, who made grounding a challenge. Goal-line drop-out.

13th min: Ireland win the ball back after Petti claimed the restart. But the Irish kept him up and then made the ball unplayable from the maul. Scum for the home side just on Argentina’s 22.

Penalty! Ireland 12-3 Argentina (Albornoz, 12)

Moroni’s yellow card will remain a yellow. Right call.

“At what point are we going to just accept collisions happen in rugby? Two guys going low for a ball is not foul play. No hint of a head injury as Crowley didn’t go for an HIA. Terrible, it’s killing the game.”

That’s from Brent Lindsay. I disagree. Have to make the game as safe as possible.

11th min: Argentina get great ball off the scrum but Beirne hammers Gonzalez with a monster hit that stops the momentum. But Henshaw strays off-side so Argentina have a free hit inside Ireland’s 22. Nothing doin’, as there’s a spill, so they come back for the penalty.

9th min: Argentina finally get some possession and they make inroads. Matera charges over the gainline, but a ball carrier isolated and Ireland pinch it back. Then there’s a knock-on so Argentina have the scrum feed inside Ireland’s 22 on the left with a short blind side. Good platform to strike.

TRY! Ireland 12-0 Argentina (Hansen, 6)

TRY! Ireland 7-0 Argentina (Crowley, 4)

Yellow card! Moroni (Argentina, 3)

Unbelievable! Moroni pounces on a loose ball and he dots down for a try! But they may bring it back as there is head on head contact by Moroni on Crowley earlier in the move.

2nd min: Argentina bobble from the opening kick and their first clearing kick is charged down. So is their second and Hansen has it inside the 22. Argentina’s exit was such a mess there! Hansen again on the ball, he floats one over the top for Keenan on the right wing. Down the left with Dorris in the tram but stout resistance from the Pumas turns possession.

And we’re off! Crowley kicks off. Ireland in emerald green. Argentina in their blue and white hoops.

OK, I’m going to stick my neck out.

Argentina to nick it by a score!

The teams are out and ready for the anthems.

Not long to go now.

I agree. This Pumas side is special. They’ll give Ireland a fright if they click.

This is the 20th meeting of the two sides.

Ireland lead 13-6 and have never lost to the Pumas at home.

Their last match was a one-sided affair with Ireland running out 53-7 winners in Dublin.

Argentina’s last win in this contest was in 2015 World Cup quarterfinals when they scored four tries in a 43-20 triumph in Cardiff.

Andy Farrell has said that some of his players were “lucky” to get selected again after their show against the All Blacks.

Here are his pre-match thoughts:

The week has been good, there have been some lessons that we need to transfer now.

It’s the perfect assignment. It’s a top drawer opponent on top form. The improvement they’ve made over the past 18 months has been phenomenal.

He also had some gushing words for Sam Prendergast – “a confident kid” – who, by some reports, is Farrell’s ideal 10 once he gets some miles in the legs.

The TNT live feed has just flicked on and they’ve kicked off with a speech from Theodore Roosevelt:

It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.

It’s a good speech, to be fair.

Argentina’s coach, Felipe Conteponi, marks his return to Dublin tonight.

As a playmaker, he represented Leinster for six years between 2003 and 2009, before returning as the province’s attack coach for four seasons in 2018.

He’s been fantastic as the Pumas coach, giving them a new identity and a harder edge, encouraging them to attack from anywhere while causing chaos at the breakdown.

Look out for Argentina’s ability to shift the point of contact at breakneck speed. One second they’re going right, the next they’re moving left. This strategy was a handful for the Springboks, All Blacks and Wallabies. Can Ireland deal with it?

Argentina team

Ireland team

Preamble

Daniel Gallan