Match report

Daniel Gallan

Sure, Argentina were decent, but I can’t help but feel that they missed a great chance with Ireland slightly off their game.

Are we guilty of moaning too much in rugby?

Perhaps so, says Niall Mullen:

“I know the cliche is that rugby players respect the officials. But, my lord, do the fans love banging on about the refs. Is TMO chat more or less tedious than VAR chat?”

I can’t stand either, to be fair. I thought Paul Williams did a decent job handling what was a messy affair for large parts.

Joe McCarthy is our player of the match.

Here’s what he had to say after the final whistle:

I just want to say a big thanks to the crowd here. The atmosphere was feckin amazing today. We’re really sorry we disappointed you last week and we really wanted to show how much it means to us. So we really appreciate your support, it means the world to us.

We came out of the blocks live. We know how good they are. We knew they’d be super tough. The lads were unbelievable to dig in today.

It wasn’t perfect but there’s a lot to work on.

Next games – Fiji and Australia – will be massive.

Peter McDonald sent this in earlier:

“Why are Ireland conceding so many penalties? Apart from the obvious, of course! Technique? Over-enthusiasm? Bad habits? Failure to adapt to new laws or the refs’ interpretation thereof?

“Ireland are my team and having spent 60-plus years hoping, for a win or two in the 5/6 Nations, I’m enjoying the current run of success, which it appears to me is under threat from the penalty count.”

Good question Peter. One that will need a proper answer this week. They got away with one. On another day, they’d have lost it given their ill discipline.

How cruel for the Pumas! They went all of 50 metres but ran out of puff. They just couldn’t keep the ball moving through the hands and a tiny spill around the fringe was the final act of this gripping contest.

That was a tremendous effort from Argentina but I think on balance the Irish deserve their win. They lacked discipline and were largely toothless on attack, but their defence was the difference here. Plus, scoring three tries to one tells a story on its own.

I think relief, rather than joy, will be the overwhelming emotion in the Irish camp this evening.

Full-time: Ireland 22-19 Argentina

80+2 min: Argentina are keeping it narrow and are 10 out. 14 phases.

80th min: We’re in the rd now. Argentina are on the ball on half-way but Ireland’s defence is not fading. That is until a burst from Gonzalez and now Delguy has it and they’re into the 22. Can they do it?

79th min: More than 20 phases now. They’re not finding gaps and eventually Oviedo, who has been magnificent throughout, gets over the ball and wins a penalty on the deck. Argentina will get one more crack at this. Albornoz finds touch upfield. Kodela’s yellow remains a yellow, but that’s immaterial to this contest.

77th min: Ireland’s maul makes ground but then stalls so they go down the line. Lowe beats his man on the left wing in contact and recycles. Prendergast finds runners off his shoulder with short passes. O’Mahony carries stiffly. McCarthy too. O’Mohany again. They’re keeping it narrow as the clock ticks down. Keenan is well tackled by Prendergast keeps the move alive. They’re camped inside Argentina’s 22.

Yellow card! Kodela (Argentina, 76)

75th min: Albornoz kicks high from half-way and forces a 50-50 contestable. It lands on Ireland’s side but we’re going to go back for a potential shoulder to head. Kodela is the guilty party.

73rd min: Outstanding steal from Carrerars who spotted that Osborne was isolated after a busting run through midfield. Argentina’s skilful back was sharp on defence, wrapped his arms around the ball and came up with the steal inside his own 22. Argentina will now get the line-out on half way and perhaps one more chance to keep the game inside Ireland’s red zone.

72nd min: Prendergast hoists a high kick – after Argentina’s clearance following that turnover didn’t find touch – and Albornoz, not for the first time, takes a very composed mark under pressure. He kicks it out around half-way. But why didn’t Ireland take the easy three points. If they lose or draw this they’ll be filled with regret. Anyway, they have the line-out throw on half-way.

70th min: 10 phases but Ireland don’t look like getting over the line. Argentina push them back. Just about every man in green has a dart. They keep it narrow until Prendergast almost finds an edge. A huge counter ruck has Argentina stealing the ball. That got up to around 17 phases but Argentina held firm!

68th min: Ireland get a gimme penalty after an Argentine player strays off-side after Carreras’ clearing kick looked to have relieved pressure. That is what they call coach killers. Ireland turn down the easy three points and choose to tap and go from 10 out. Why on earth didn’t they take the three?

67th min: Excellent from Ireland. Prendergast with a double-pump finds Lowe but he knocks on in contact. Earlier Doris steamrolled over the gainline but lost his footing just as he made the burst through the gap. Ireland’s first phases strike play has been impressive. It’s what’s happened afterwards that has not been up to much. Cian Healy comes on to become Ireland’s joint-most capped player of all time.

65th min: Now Ireland win the scrum penalty with young Clarkson getting the back slaps. Prendergast kicks to touch and now Ireland have a serious chance to reestablish daylight with a line-out just outside of Argentina’s 22.

65th min: Ireland back in possession after Argentina knock on as Albornoz’s pass to Mallia doesn’t stick. Earlier Morni collected a smart off-load in contact and cantered over the gainline, but Ireland scrambled well and then started to force Argentina backwards. That made things scrappy and the ambitious pass from Albornoz proved the move’s undoing. Credit to Ireland’s defence. They haven’t been at their best but that is one aspect of their game that has worked tonight.

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.