Ireland 'missed a chance' as Andy Farrell counts injury cost of Argentina win

Andy Farrell challenged Ireland to be more ruthless after they swept aside Argentina with a 42-12 bonus-point victory in the Nations Championship in Dublin.

Hugo Keenan scored a hat-trick as the hosts ran in six tries but head coach Farrell felt his side missed opportunities to inflict even greater damage on the Pumas.

Further tries from captain Dan Sheehan, fly-half Sam Prendergast and replacement hooker Ronan Kelleher completed a dominant display against opposition hampered by ill-discipline and a string of costly errors.

Ireland’s emphatic win was a third from four matches in the competition after summer successes against Australia and Japan were followed by defeat against New Zealand.

“Obviously, the scoreline is a good one because not many teams do that to Argentina,” said Farrell. “They’re a very good side and a dangerous side.

“We saw that certainly at times, we fought hard to scramble back, so the 12 points (conceded) is very pleasing.

“The 42, six tries, I thought some outstanding stuff, some really clinical stuff.

“But I think the story of the game is we missed a chance to be ruthless.

“Having said that, the opportunities that we did have in the right parts of the field showed the dominance as far as field position and territory.

“So for a hit out, first up international game (of the season), a big one at that, it’s a good day.”

Mateo Carreras crossed twice for Argentina, including a 10th-minute opener.

But their hopes of an upset were undermined by yellow cards for Justo Piccardo and Efrain Elias and an early head injury to captain Julian Montoya.

Farrell praised “immense” full-back Keenan following his first home Test since March last year and was also impressed with wings Mack Hansen and Robert Baloucoune.

“I thought the back three was outstanding,” said Farrell.

“Hugo Keenan, it’s 22 months since he played here. He didn’t even remember what side of the pitch we warmed up on, which is a bit of an insult! But, wow, he was immense, wasn’t he?

“Same with Mack and Rob. The pace that he (Baloucoune) put on to the ball, he was a threat every time he got his hands on the ball, offloading the ball, good in the air, so delighted with the back three.”

Ireland have a host of injury concerns ahead of next weekend’s meeting with Fiji.

Sheehan was forced off for a head injury assessment but Farrell said the hooker “seems fine”. Baloucoune, Hansen, Sean Jansen and Josh van der Flier also picked up knocks.

Argentina stunned Farrell’s 2025 British and Irish Lions squad on their last visit to the Aviva Stadium but have now lost all 12 of their meetings with Ireland in Dublin.

Pumas head coach Felipe Contepomi admitted individual mistakes proved costly.

“I’m very proud for the effort and what they tried to do and just going hard from the start of the game,” he said.

“But then we know there were a lot of individual errors which we need to get better because when you start summing up all those errors at this level against a team that is very cohesive, that is one of the three best teams in the world for the last 10 years, it makes it really hard.”