Ireland 42-12 Argentina
69 mins: With Illo in the bin, Ireland have to bring a prop back on for this scrum. Porter is the man to re-enter, Timoney is the sacrificial lamb. Interestingly, Porter is scrumming at tighthead with O’Toole staying on the loosehead side.
66 mins: Ireland are playing with house money now. Hansen regathers a chip and chase. Then he puts in a cross kick that looks certain to end in a McCloskey try in the corner.
The bounce does not go the Ulsterman’s way and Argentina survive.
Off a scrum moments later, Hansen breaks down the short side but loses the sprint to the line. He’s hauled down just short and, isolated, loses possession.
63 mins: Some lovely counter-attack takes Ireland down the right flank. Keenan’s break and pop into space puts Henshaw into a gap. He lacks support so has to kick ahead and in the end, Mallia does well to deal with the threat.
News from the bunker is that Elias’ yellow card will not be upgraded.
YELLOW CARD – Sam Illo
61 mins: That’s harsh. Pearce hadn’t warned Ireland for penalties at all but he’s sent Illo to the bin for an early drive at a maul.
Timoney and Beirne rescue the situation by holding Scelzo up over the line.
Another change for Ireland as James Ryan replaces Joe McCarthy. Tom O’Toole also enters for Porter.
Jamie Osborne also comes on for Robert Baloucoune who looks to be limping.
Ireland’s Joe McCarthy. Photograph: Dan Sheridan/Inpho
TRY IRELAND – Rónan Kelleher
56 mins: From the penalty into the corner, Ireland’s pack rumbles over with the maul. Kelleher is the beneficiary.
Argentina’s pack looks tired and has been depleted by HIAs and now a yellow card.
Frawley converts.
Ireland 42-12 Argentina
Rónan Kelleher scores a maul try. Photograph: Ramsey Cardy/Getty Images
YELLOW CARD – Ephraim Elias
The TMO spotted a high hit from Elias on Keenan as Ireland were setting up for a lineout inside the 22. Luke Pearce decides that Elias was upright and makes head contact so he’s off. Yellow card which may or may not be upgraded by the bunker.
55 mins: Three changes for Ireland. Sam Illo is on for Tadhg Furlong, Jamison Gibson-Park replaces Craig Casey while Ciarán Frawley ends Sam Prendergast’s night.
Ideal for Ireland, really. The starting halfbacks play well and, with the result more or less decided, Farrell can get good minutes into Gibson-Park and Frawley now.
54 mins: Ireland are over the line but it’s held-up. Pearce says the ball is on top of an Argentine boot over the line.
Goal-line drop-out.
TRY IRELAND – Hugo Keenan
50 mins: Hat-trick for Keenan.
There have been some sensational passes in the build-up to Irish tries tonight. Henshaw and Hansen in the build-up to Keenan’s first score, for one.
This time it’s Baird who passes the ball over the top of a defender, delicately leaving the ball in space for Keenan to run onto. He runs over untouched. Lovely.
Ireland 35-12 Argentina
48 mins: Van der Flier’s first intervention is to combine with Beirne to latch onto an Argentine breakdown. Ireland win a penalty right in front of the posts but choose to go to the corner.
TRY ARGENTINA – Mateo Carreras
46 mins: They’re well behind, but Argentina’s two scores have been excellent. This one is set up by Chocobares,the Toulouse centre picking a gorgeous line to power through a half-gap close to the ruck.
From there, Ireland are always bailing water and Carreras benefits to crash through close to the sticks. Albornoz converts.
Ireland respond by replacing Jansen with van fer Flier. That should mean that Timoney goes to 8.
Ireland 28-12 Argentina
Argentina’s Mateo Carreras scores a second try. Photograph: Brian Lawless/PA.
TRY IRELAND – Sam Prendergast
42 mins: Where did that come from? Argentina get their spacing horribly wrong in defence, leaving far too inviting a hole. Prendergast doesn’t need to be asked twice, ghosting past Kremer and away into the backfield.
Down to 14, Argentina have nobody home as the outhalf runs in under the sticks. He converts his own try.
Ireland 28-5 Argentina
Ireland’s Sam Prendergast converts the try. Photograph: Brian Lawless/PA
41 mins: We’re back underway in Dublin. Sam Prendergast does the honours to kick off the second half.
Sounds like Sheehan will not return from his HIA. I suspect that makes Tadhg Beirne the new Ireland captain.
Half-time stats:
Territory – Ireland 61%-29% Argentina
Carries – Ireland 89 Argentina 42
Metres – Ireland 249 Argentina 130
Line breaks – Ireland 4 Argentina 2
Defenders beaten – Ireland 19 Argentina 6
Kicks in play – Ireland 16 Argentina 11
Lineout steals – Ireland 3 Argentina 0
Ireland’s Sam Prendergast waits to convert a try. Photograph: Brian Lawless/PA.
Half-time: Ireland 21-7 Argentina
A stuttering opening 10 or so minutes from Ireland gives way to a display full of scintillating attacking moments. The set-piece strikes, in particular, have been excellent. The lineout, maligned in the summer, has also been nigh on impeccable.
Barring that early period of pressure which saw Argentina take the lead, Ireland have not really let them build pressure inside their own half. That, certainly, was helped by Piccardo’s yellow card.
There will be concern for Dan Sheehan, who has departed for a HIA. We’ll see if he comes back out after the break.
Ireland’s Dan Sheehan is tackled by Argentina’s Gonzalo Garcia. Photograph: Brian Lawless/PA
39 mins: The Argentine coaching staff have now told replacement loosehead Vivas that he is comfortable scrummaging at hooker, with Oviedo and Montoya both off for head knocks. He looks every so slightly surprised by this.
Back to contested scrums.
37 mins: Now Oviedo has to go for a HIA. Bear in mind he’s on as a replacement hooker for Montoya, who failed his own HIA. So with no hookers left for Argentina, we’re at uncontested scrums. Ireland have such a scrum 5m out after a knock-on at the lineout.
36 mins: Sheehan looks to score in the corner but the touch judge has the flag up.
Peeling down the short side of the maul, Sheehan took on two Argentine defenders. It always looked an ambitious carry and so it proves. Between them, Garcia and Oviedo get his foot into touch.
Scratch that – Ireland get a penalty.
This is a bizarre one. Oviedo apparently didn’t let Sheehan get back to his feet after the tackle, meaning he was illegal in driving his foot into touch. So no try, but Ireland get a penalty and kick it into the corner.
Meanwhile, Sheehan has gone for a HIA after landing heavily in that collision. Kelleher is on at hooker.
YELLOW CARD – Justo Piccardo
35 mins: Ireland win a penalty as Argentina dive in off their feet looking to counter-ruck. When Sheehan takes it quickly, Piccardo wasn’t back 10 metres when making a tackle close to the try line.
Pearce goes straight to his pocket.
Argentina’s Justo Piccardo is sent to the sin bin. Photograph: Brian Lawless/PA wire.
33 mins: Prendergast’s up-and-under is brilliantly claimed by Baloucoune. Following up with another kick, Casey finds touch deep inside the Argentine 22.
Ireland then swarm around a ball carrier, Beirne and McCarthy prominent in holding him up, turning it into a maul and earning a scrum put-in. Big chance here.
The first scrum attempt collapses as Moreno is pinged for a penalty. Prendergast kicks into the corner.
TRY IRELAND – Hugo Keenan
30 mins: Scratch that re 50/22. It was actually an Argentina lineout but it may as well have been a 50/22 as Ryan Baird pinches the ball at the front.
From there, Ireland go wide. Hansen feeds Keenan who has plenty of blue jerseys in front of him but manages to break one tackle and ride one more to power over. Prendergast converts again.
Ireland 21-5 Argentina
Hugo Keenan of Ireland breaks with the ball to go on and scores his team’s third try. Photograph: David Rogers/Getty Images
29 mins: Ireland are finding their attacking rhythm now. Or at least they look to be as Baloucoune speeds through a half-gap. If he can free the arms, there’s a score in the corner but two Argentine defenders do well to prevent the pass.
Seconds later, after Argentina clear thanks to a breakdown steal, Prendergast puts his right boot to use to find a beautiful 50/22.
TRY IRELAND – Dan Sheehan
25 mins: Another set-piece play leads to a score. Sheehan, powering around the corner of a dummy maul, pops it off inside to a gap close to the lineout. Timoney is sprinting onto the ball only to be hauled down short but once the ball is recycled, Sheehan is on hand to take the pass and dive over.
One set-piece try for the backs, and now one for the forwards. Andrew Goodman and Paul O’Connell are earning their money tonight.
Prendergast taps over the straightforward conversion.
Ireland 14-5 Argentina
DUBLIN, IRELAND – NOVEMBER 06: Dan Sheehan of Ireland scores his team’s second try during the Nations Championship 2026 match between Ireland and Argentina at Aviva Stadium on November 06, 2026 in Dublin, Ireland. (Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images)
24 mins: Another Irish breakdown penalty, this time won by Timoney. This new look backrow is coming up with some highlight moments on the floor.
Prendergast kicks the penalty into the 22.
23 mins: Oh dear. That could have gone so badly wrong. Looking to counter attack, Prendergast tries to find Baloucoune with a cross-kick.
To be fair to him, if he found a green shirt, Ireland would have had numbers on the outside. Instead, he slices it badly straight to Carreras who now has a chance to counter. Fortunately for Prendergast, Keenan is on hand to deal with the resulting kick in behind.
20 mins: Ireland needed that. Keeping things close to the ruck, Argentina were powering forward phase after phase, their forwards playing with an intensity that was hard to handle.
Five metres from the line, Jansen comes up with a crucial breakdown penalty to relieve the pressure.
TRY IRELAND – Hugo Keenan
15 mins: We’ve been treated to a pair of belting scores to open things up tonight.
Off a lineout strike, Ireland work it cleverly in midfield to get Baloucoune into space. His pace is always dangerous, taking play into the 22. He offloads to Hansen who looks to be marshalled well by Delguy only for a stunning offload over a pair of onrushing blue shirts to gift Keenan a score.
That last pass from Hansen, wow.
Prendergast converts.
Ireland 7-5 Argentina
14 mins: Ireland with a much-needed bit of momentum. After giving away a sloppy lineout free-kick, Baloucoune’s counter-ruck forces Argentina into conceding a penalty, allowing Prendergast to kick down the line.
TRY ARGENTINA – Mateo Carreras
11 mins: Sublime. A stunning score. Initially, Ireland are stretched inside their own 22 as Keenan is forced into a try-saving tackle on Delguy out wide. Once Argentina recycle, though, Albornoz uses his left boot to kick across to the other flank, spotting a height mismatch between Carreras and Casey. There’s only one winner there as Carreras wins it in the air and dots down in the corner.
Albornoz misses the wide conversion.
Ireland 0-5 Argentina
Argentina’s Mateo Carreras catches and scores their sides first try of the game. Photograph: Brian Lawless/PA.
9 mins: Ireland have a chance for a counter as Chocobares’ offload in midfield goes astray. Hansen looks to kick long and infield to cause chaos, but his kick slices into touch.
Argentina’s maul, it should be said, looks dangerous in the early stages.
7 mins: This time the Irish attack has a bit of zip as Keenan throws a long, wide ball. McCloskey carries in the wide channel. When they come infield, though, the ball is exposed and Matera pinches it with no ruck formed.
Albornoz and Hansen are warned by Pearce for having a scuffle after Argentina win a penalty at the breakdown. The Argentinian outhalf kicks it down the line and into the 22.
2 mins: Ireland’s first attack is sluggish, not much ground made. Prendergast is forced to kick it away, it’s a good high ball that Keenan gets close to claiming.
On the counter, Ireland are lucky. Albornoz breaks and his kick trickles into touch instead of the arms of wing Delguy with no one in the Irish backfield. Early warning shot.
1 min: International is back underway at Lansdowne Road. Referee Luke Pearce blows his whistle and Tomás Albornoz uses hit left foot to kick off into the Irish 22.
Ireland 0-0 Argentina
Lining up for the anthems, Argentina started taking off their anthems after Amhrán na bhFiann, only to look confused at the Irish players staying put. The old two anthem trip. Gets them every time.
Ireland’s Jamie Benson (travelling reserve, not in the squad) warms-up ahead of the game. Photograph: Nick Elliott/Inpho
There’s a moment of applause before kick-off here at the Aviva.
Former rugby internationals Phil O’Callaghan and Fergus Slattery, former IRFU CEO Philip Browne and, of course, Ciara Mageean are all being remembered.
Ciara Mageean died last weekend aged 34. Photograph: Jane Barlow/Press Association.
Interesting. There’s a new fella doing the PA announcing in the Aviva. Haven’t decided if it’s a good thing or not just yet. More research required.
Andy Farrell, Head Coach of Ireland interacts with Felipe Contepomi, Head Coach of Argentina during the warm ups. Photograph: Ramsey Cardy/Getty Images
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There has been a late change to the Ireland team. Bundee Aki is ill, meaning Jamie Osborne replaces him on the bench.
Jamie Osborne is now on the bench for Ireland. Photograph: Nick Elliott/Inpho
Some stats for you. In July, Ireland had the worst lineout success rate and second worst scrum win of all teams in the Nations Championship.
Room to improve? There’s plenty.
You can dig through plenty more analysis of tactics and trends here.
[ Nations Championship: Here’s where Ireland must improve Opens in new window ]
Ireland’s Jimmy O’Brien, Dan Sheehan, Jack Conan and James Ryan dejected after conceding a try against New Zealand in the summer. Photograph: Ben Brady/Inpho
It is, of course, a new look backthree for Ireland tonight with Hugo Keenan flanked by Rob Baloucoune and Mack Hansen on the wings.
Will the return of the Mack further unlock Keenan, whose attacking numbers have been excellent so far in this Nations Championship? According to Opta, he is the only player so far in this competition with 10+ carries to cross the gainline every time he runs with the ball.
100% – Of players to make 10+ carries in the Nations Championship this year, Hugo Keenan is the only one to have crossed the gainline on every carry (18/18).
100% – Hugo Keenan
92% – Aphelele Fassi
92% – Luke Cowan-Dickie
91% – Fabien Brau-Boirie
88% – Caleb Clarke
Boss. pic.twitter.com/CCl2x9RkKf
— OptaJonny (@OptaJonny) November 6, 2026
Conor Murray’s pre-match column is certainly worth your time. He runs his eye over the Irish starting XV, analysing Sam Prendergast’s form, the secondrow shake-up with James Ryan dropping to the bench and the opportunity for Sean Jansen at eight given injuries to the two Leinster backrows ahead of him.
You can read the full column here.
I’ve seen Sean Jansen putting himself about for Connacht. With Caelan and Jack out, Jansen gets a rare opportunity at number eight. We might see Dan Sheehan finish in the backrow.
— Conor Murray
Sean Jansen starts for Ireland in the backrow. Photograph: Nick Elliott/Inpho
Some pre-match listening for the Dart/bus/drive into the game. Or to accompany your pre-match cooking at home.
Brett Igoe, former Leinster analyst, was in good form analysing the Ireland team, what they need to improve on from the July window and indeed when providing insight into working with the new Leinster coach (starting next year), Noel McNamara.
Casey and Timoney to start against Argentina
As for Argentina, they have a close to a full team to choose from after their head coach – former Leinsterman Felipe Contepomi – was forced to rotate during the summer.
Julian Montoya is a familiar face that captains from hooker. Marcos Kremer and Pablo Matera start in a powerful backrow while Tomás Albornoz, Mateo Carreras, Santiago Chocobares and Juan Cruz Mallia – amongst others – provide plenty of backline firepower.
¡Nuestros 23 para enfrentar a Irlanda! ¡Vamos! 🇦🇷
📆 Viernes 6/11
⏰ 17:10 h (hora argentina)
🆚 Irlanda 🇮🇪
🏟️ Aviva Stadium
📺 ESPN pic.twitter.com/xodiAE3kgU
— Los Pumas (@lospumas) November 4, 2026
We shall start, as ever, with the team news. The big news as far as Ireland is concerned is Andy Farrell’s decision to rotate Jamison Gibson-Park and Josh van der Flier out of the starting team. In their stead, Craig Casey and Nick Timoney start (a second piece of good news for Timoney this week after it was announced that he has extended his Ulster contract until 2030).
Elsewhere, Mack Hansen, Ryan Baird and Andrew Porter are all back having missed both the Six Nations and the July Test window through injury. Sean Jansen starts at number eight with Caelan Doris and Jack Conan out, while Robbie Henshaw slots in at 13 in place of the hamstrung Garry Ringrose.
Tadhg Furlong was cleared by a citing committee of making contact with the genitals of Gavin Coombes, so he is free to play.
Ireland: Hugo Keenan; Rob Baloucoune, Robbie Henshaw, Stuart McCloskey, Mack Hansen; Sam Prendergast, Craig Casey; Andrew Porter, Dan Sheehan (captain), Tadhg Furlong; Joe McCarthy, Tadhg Beirne; Ryan Baird, Nick Timoney, Sean Jansen.
Replacements: Rónan Kelleher, Tom O’Toole, Sam Illo, James Ryan, Josh van der Flier, Jamison Gibson-Park, Ciarán Frawley, Bundee Aki.
Good evening and happy Nations Championship-mas to those who celebrate. I’m more of a Sixmas man myself but at least we have some international rugby to get us through the dreary, daylight saving grimness of November.
Nathan Johns here to guide you through what’s what as Ireland gear up to take on Argentina to kick-off a four-week bloc of Test rugby. This is the beginning of the last run up until next year’s World Cup. There are only 12 matches to go, after all.
Kick-off tonight at the Aviva Stadium is at 8.10pm. We’ll be building up to all the action until then.