Ireland snuff out Pumas to cap off near perfect Autumn Nations Series
Josh Van Der Flier scored twice as Ireland capped a fruitful autumn by grinding out an emphatic 53-7 win over wasteful Argentina in Dublin.
Fellow forwards Andrew Porter, Caelan Doris, Dan Sheehan, Cian Healy and Tadhg Beirne also claimed tries to help Andy Farrell’s men stretch their unbeaten run to eight games.
Meanwhile, the exceptional Joey Carbery – filling in for injured skipper Johnny Sexton – backed up his match-winning cameo in last weekend’s stunning success over New Zealand by kicking 18 points.
Los Pumas have history of upsetting Ireland following three shock wins at World Cups but faded fast from a promising start as their record of never having won at the Aviva Stadium continued.
Mateo Carreras’ early try was all Mario Ledesma’s men had to show from a difficult afternoon, while lock Tomas Lavanini was dismissed 20 minutes from time for a dangerous challenge on Irish replacement Ryan Baird.
The visitors’ hopes of avoiding a 14th defeat of a challenging calendar year were not helped by a bizarre spell of first-half profligacy during which Emiliano Boffelli somehow squandered two simple penalties and Carreras was denied a second score by an unexpected fumble.
Seeking continuity, Ireland head coach Farrell initially named a fairly settled starting XV.
But, having already lost Sexton and Jamison Gibson-Park to injury, he eventually made six changes from the 29-20 win over the All Blacks as forwards Jack Conan and Iain Henderson pulled out ahead of kick-off to be replaced by Peter O’Mahony and Beirne.
The late disruption perhaps contributed to the hosts’ disjointed start which saw Argentina race ahead inside three minutes.
Winger James Lowe found himself overloaded on Ireland’s left and Carreras duly took advantage, cutting inside Beirne and the recalled Conor Murray to dive over, with Boffelli slotting the extras.
The lead did not last as Carbery kicked a penalty before converting after Van Der Flier powered over from a rolling maul on the left.
Prop Porter then stretched the advantage by bulldozing over to claim only his second international try on the occasion of his 40th cap following sustained pressure.
The relatively swift turnaround on the scoreboard could not mask the hosts’ struggles to emulate the eye-catching displays against Japan and the Kiwis during the past fortnight.
This was, for large parts, a far scrappier affair, with the crowd considerably more subdued.
And Ireland were fortunate not to fall behind during a strange eight-minute period.
Pumas full-back Boffelli twice brought gasps from the stands as he contrived to miss quick-fire kicks from in front of the posts, while Carreras compounded the misery when he fumbled the ball with the try-line in sight before going off injured.
Doris, shifted to number eight due to Conan’s late withdrawal, ensured daylight between the teams at the break by scoring for the second successive week, with Carbery maintaining his flawless kicking record.
Having lost stand-in skipper James Ryan to a head knock just before the interval, Ireland began to assert authority after the restart.
A deliberate knock-on resulted in a yellow card for Argentina back-rower Pablo Matera, with Carbery adding the resultant penalty and then converting after Van Der Flier’s second score was awarded following consultation with the television match official.
Argentina’s uphill task became that bit harder on the hour mark when lock Lavanini forcefully ploughed into Baird and was deservedly shown a red card.
From then on, it was largely one-way traffic and Ireland capitalised to add gloss to the final score.
Leinster youngster Sheehan broke off a maul to claim his maiden Test try, before experienced substitute Healy made up for the disappointment of seeing an early effort chalked off by touching down.
Munster player Beirne claimed the final try, with man-of-the-match Carbery unfortunate to see his flawless kicking record ruined by striking a post.
Argentina did threaten a late consolation but Ireland’s dogged defence impressively dug in as their fine form continued with the 2022 Six Nations on the horizon.
Comments on RugbyPass
Bar the injuries, it’s pretty much their top team …
2 Go to commentsDon’t disagree with much of this but it appears you forgot Rodda and Beale, who started at the Force on the weekend.
9 Go to commentsExcept for the injured Zach Gallagher this would be Saders best forward pack for the season. Blackadder needs to stay at 7, for all of Christies tackling he is not dominant and offers very little else. McNicholfullback is maybe a good option, Fihaki not really upto it, there was a reason Burke played there last year. Maybe Havilli to 2nd five McLeod to wing. Need a strong winger on 1 side to compliment Reece
1 Go to commentsTo me TJ is clearly the best 9 in the competition right now but he's also a proven player off the bench, there's few playmaking players who can come off the bench as calm and settled as he is, Beauden can, TJ can and I doubt any of the scrumhalves in contention can, if they want to experiment with new 9s I want him on the bench ready to step in if they crumble under the pressure. The Boks put their best front row on the bench, I'd like to see us take a similar approach, the Hurricanes have been doing similar things with players like Kirifi.
35 Go to commentsROG has better chance to win a WC if he starts training and make himself eligible as a player. He won’t make the Ireland squad but I reckon he may get close with Namibia (needs to improve his Afrikaans) or Portugal. Both sides had 1000:1 odds to win the RWC in 2023 which is an improvement on ROG’s odds of winning a RWC as a coach. Unlike Top 14 teams, national teams can’t go shopping and buy the best players - you work with the available talent pool and turn them into world beaters.
2 Go to commentsthat backline nope that backline is terrible why would you have sevu Reece when he’s not even top 5 wingers in the comp why have Blackadder when there’s better players no Scott barret isn’t an automatic the guy is more of a liability than anything why have him there when you have samipeni who’s far far better
35 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
49 Go to commentsNot too bad. Questions at 6, lock and HB for me. The ABs will be a lot stronger once Jordan and Roigard return. Also, work needs to be made to secure Frizzell back for next season and maybe also Mo’unga; they’re just wasting time playing in japan
35 Go to commentsOn the title, i wonder for many of those people it is a case something like a belief in working smarter, not harder?
1 Go to commentsForget Sotutu. One of those whose top level is Super Rugby. Id take a punt on Wallace Sititi Finau ahead of Glass body Blackadder.
35 Go to commentsI’m a pensioner so I've been around a bit. My opinion of SBW is he is an elite athlete and a great New Zealander and roll model. He has been to the top and knows what he's talking about. To all the negative comments regarding SBW the typical New Zealand way, cut that tall poppy down.
17 Go to commentsI'm not listening to a guy moralise over others when this is the guy who walked out mid season on Canterbury RLFC when he had a contract with them, what a hypocrite. All the Kiwis sticking up for this unprincipled individual because they can't accept justified criticism, he has zero credibility or integrity. Those praising him are a joke.
17 Go to commentsI’d put Finau at 6 instead of Blackadder but that’s the only change I’d make. Can’t wait to see who Razor picks.
35 Go to commentsTamati Williams, Codie Taylor, and Same Cane? Not sure about Hoskins Sotutu at test level. Wasn’t that impressive last season. Need a balance between experience and talent/youth.
35 Go to commentsInteresting insight. Fantastic athlete, and a genuine human being.
17 Go to commentsThey played at night in Suva last weekend and it’s an afternoon game forecast for 19 degrees in Canberra this weekend. Heat change is a non issue.
2 Go to commentsWishing Rosie a speedy recovery
1 Go to commentsObscene that SA haven’t been knocking
1 Go to commentsChances of Blackadder being injured seem too high to give him serious consideration. ABs loosie combination finally looked good with 2 committed to tackling and clearing rucks in the centre and Ardie roaming. Hoskins/Ardie together would force one of them into where they don’t excel and don’t get to use their talent, or require a change in tactics. If we continue to evolve last years systems I would take Papali’i and Finau at 6 and 7 (conceding that Blackadder will be injured) and Ardie at 8.
35 Go to commentsArdie’s preferred position 7? Where do they get these writers from? I've no idea where he's playing in Japan, but the previous two seasons he wore the 7 jersey exactly twice.
18 Go to comments