Ireland beat Argentina 42-12 in Dublin despite injury concerns
Ireland runs past Argentina in Dublin under Friday night lights
Ireland secured a 42-12 victory over Argentina on Friday, scoring six tries in Dublin, though head coach Andy Farrell expressed frustration that his side missed a chance to be ruthless.
Hugo Keenan stars in a rare back three outing
Hugo Keenan scored a hat-trick in his first home appearance since the 2025 Six Nations, anchoring an electric back-three combination alongside Mack Hansen and Robert Baloucoune. Keenan’s opening try arrived via a fluid buildup where Baloucoune surged into open field and fed Hansen, who delivered the final pass to the fullback.
Dan Sheehan, Sam Prendergast, and Ronan Kelleher also crossed the try line for the hosts. Craig Casey earned an opportunity at scrum-half to impress while first-choice Jamison Gibson-Park works back to full fitness, putting in a strong shift after a quiet opening phase. Ulster back row Nick Timoney and fly-half Prendergast likewise turned in impactful performances.
Farrell and Beirne demand clinical edge despite thirty-point margin
Despite dominating 59 percent of territory and keeping Los Pumas scoreless after the 55th minute—when Kelleher finished off a rolling maul—Ireland’s leadership wanted a more ruthless display. Andy Farrell noted that while the final scoreline is rare against a dangerous Argentina outfit, his team missed opportunities to press their advantage home. Second row Tadhg Beirne echoed that assessment, stating that the Pumas “came out firing” as they hunted their first away win in Dublin.
“We weathered the storm and got into how we wanted to play the game,” Beirne said, as reported by BBC Sport.
Beirne added that the squad felt slightly frustrated at not capitalizing on their late territory and chances.
Injuries mount ahead of Fiji fixture
The convincing win came at a physical cost for the Irish squad. Captain Dan Sheehan exited in the first half following a failed head injury assessment, though Farrell noted the hooker appeared fine in the dressing room. Robert Baloucoune departed in the 58th minute with a knock, Sean Jansen took a heavy bang to his knee, and both Josh van der Flier and Mack Hansen dealt with ankle issues during the bruising encounter.
Farrell now faces a significant assessment of his playing roster ahead of Fiji’s visit to Dublin on November 14, 2026. Following the fixture against Fiji, Ireland will host reigning world champions South Africa before concluding the international window with a finals weekend in London.
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