Autumn Nations Series: Ireland 22 Argentina 19
After winning 19 in a row at home Ireland were not of a mind to then make it two defeats in succession but heaven’s above, how this superb Argentinian team pushed them to limits. By the end, Ireland were clinging on to withstand one last Argentinian siege on a night when the psychological energy ebbed and flowed continuously.
Palpably determined to atone for a relatively below-par performance in virtually all aspects a week previously, Ireland exploded out of the traps, playing with way more desire and intensity in their carries and clear-outs to generate the kind of rapid ruck ball which is their trademark.
With Jack Crowley playing, it seemed, a little flatter to the line and commanding, much of the attacking shape returned too. In a wild, wacky and richly entertaining contest which pivoted on disallowed tries and two yellow cards apiece, Ireland roared into a 12-0 lead, but a procession of penalties and the resistance of Joaquim Oviedo and co could not be entirely subdued.
In the end, even the Aviva was awoken from last week’s slumber before drawing one last gasp and heading into the night.
The Counter Ruck: the rugby newsletter from The Irish Times
‘I hate losing more than I love winning’: Argentina rue the one that got away
‘We’ll see the best of it in the next two games’: Andy Farrell backs Ireland players to come good
The Aviva crowd steps up as Ireland grind out victory over Argentina
A wild, frenetic start set the tone as, unusually, Argentina’s first two attempted clearances were charged down to put Ireland on the front foot. The ball still hadn’t gone out of play, two and a half minutes in, when Garry Ringrose’s pass missed Josh van der Flier.
The Argentinian winger Bautista Delguy danced a jig and when his pass was batted backwards, Matías Moroni touched down. But the ‘try’ was ruled out on review for an earlier head-high hit by Moroni on Jack Crowley.
Moroni’s yellow card rightly remained just that in the bunker review, for Crowley was dipping, but in his absence Ireland scored both immediately. First Crowley tapped the penalty into the corner, Rónan Kelleher hit James Ryan and then charged infield, and Caelan Doris and Andrew Porter moved the ball before Crowley eyed up Thomas Gallo and stepped inside the prop to score his second Test try and convert it.
Within two minutes Robbie Henshaw made a big bustling carry from his own half before Ringrose latched on to a Doris tip-on which went to ground, bounced Gonzalo Bertranou and galloped deep into the Pumas’ 22. Jamison Gibson-Park was there in a flash, as ever, and flung a trademark wide pass to Tadhg Beirne, which looked forward, for the flanker to tee up a try for Mack Hansen with his pass inside.
A couple of Tomas Albornoz penalties cut the deficit in half either side of Beirne losing control in the act of scoring and Finlay Bealham being yellow-carded for ‘a croc roll’. Crowley responded by dropping into the pocket to restore the nine-point lead with a sweetly struck drop goal, before another Albornoz penalty.
After Hugo Keenan reclaimed Crowley’s hanging restart, the Pumas withstood one ferocious siege, Juan Martín González snaffling a turnover, but past the half-hour Ireland were rewarded for going to the corner.
Ryan claimed Kelleher’s excellent long throw under pressure and Henshaw ran hard at the line before pulling the ball back for James Lowe to make the inroads. Joe McCarthy plunged over from the recycle, helped by Doris taking out one tackler in front of the ball.
Big hits by Doris and McCarthy, both on Pablo Matera, seemed to shut the door on Argentina’s response, but the pick-and-jam made inroads, particularly by Oviedo, earned a penalty to the corner.
As pleasing therefore for Andy Farrell was the prolonged defensive resistance which defied Argentina when twice going to the corner – Beirne holding up González over the line – and then tapping a penalty, so keeping the 22-9 lead intact until half-time.
Nonetheless, whatever Felipe Contepomi said to his players at half-time, Los Pumas returned with renewed intent on the resumption. Ireland’s defence appeared to be keeping them at bay whereupon the multi-talented, multi-positional Juan Cruz Mallia, who really is world-class, steamed on to a short pass by Albornoz to beat Ringrose on his inside and then nonchalantly stepped Hansen to round the posts.
Albornoz converted and then landed a penalty when a third successive penalty against Ireland since the resumption, and sixth in a row since just before half-time, led to McCarthy being binned for a cumulation of offences.
But Albornoz did miss a close-range and straightish drop goal to draw the sides level and now sparked into life by this game suddenly being in the balance, the crowd found their voice with a rendition of The Fields and again when Ringrose emptied Lucio Cinti and when both Sam Prendergast and Cian Healy were introduced for their first and 133rd caps respectively.
It was a ballsy call to introduce Prendergast with about a quarter of the match remaining, the contest in the melting pot and the Aviva finally a fever, all the more so when Ireland opted for a tap penalty. Prendergast looked composed and calm in taking the ball square to the line, but when he carried a phalanx of Pumas subs countered for a turnover. Their fans were in full voice and waving their flags when Santiago Carreras won another turnover.
But his fluctuating contest switched again when the 40-year-old Francisco Gomez Kodela was binned for a dangerous clear-out on Doris which was totally unnecessary and very costly. Ireland went hunting the winning score, only for the magnificent to engineer one more turnover.
So they launched one final, sustained attack, Delguy causing palpitations in the home support as he finished this mad game as he started, dancing past defenders. They moved to within drop goal territory but hadn’t come here for a draw, and when the ball was submerged as the game’s last ruck, Ireland had clung on gamely as much as Los Pumas had tried gamely.
SCORING SEQUENCE – 4 mins: Crowley try, con, 7-0; 6: Hansen try, 12-0; 12: Albornoz pen, 12-3; 18: Albornoz, 12-6; 21: Crowley drop goal, 15-6; 26: Albornoz pen, 15-9; 32: McCarthy try, Crowley con, 22-9; (half-time 22-9); 45: Mallia try, Albornoz con, 22-16; 51: Albornoz pen, 22-19.
IRELAND: Hugo Keenan (Leinster); Mack Hansen (Connacht), Garry Ringrose (Leinster), Robbie Henshaw (Leinster), James Lowe (Leinster); Jack Crowley (Munster), Jamison Gibson-Park (Leinster); Andrew Porter (Leinster), Rónan Kelleher (Leinster), Finlay Bealham (Connacht); Joe McCarthy (Leinster), James Ryan (Leinster); Tadhg Beirne (Munster); Josh van der Flier (Leinster), Caelan Doris (Leinster, capt).
Replacements: Thomas Clarkson (Leinster) for Van der Flier (24-27 mins) and Bealham (53); Ryan Baird (Leinster) for Ryan, Sam Prendergast (Leinster) for Crowley, Jamie Osborne (Leinster) for Henshaw (all 62); Rob Herring (Ulster) for Kelleher (64), Peter O’Mahony (Munster) for Baird (65), Cian Healy (Leinster) for Porter (70); Craig Casey (Munster) for Gibson-Park (74).
Sinbinned: Bealham (17-27 mins), McCarthy (50-60 mins).
ARGENTINA: Juan Cruz Mallia (Toulouse); Rodrigo Isgró (Harlequins), Lucio Cinti (Saracens), Matías Moroni (unattached), Bautista Delguy (Clermont), Tomas Albornoz (Benetton), Gonzalo Bertranou (unattached); Thomas Gallo (Benetton), Julian Montoya (Leicester Tigers, captain), Joel Sclavi (La Rochelle), Guido Petti (Bordeaux, FR), Pedro Rubiolo (Newcastle Falcons), Pablo Matera (Mie Honda Heat, Japan), Juan Martín González (Saracens), Joaquin Oviedo (Perpignan).
Replacements: Ignacio Calles (Pau) for Gallo (22 and 73 mins); Ignacio Ruiz (Perpignan) for Montoya (23-34 and 62); Gonzalo Garcia (Zebre) for Bertranou (47); Francisco Gomez Kodela (Stade Francais) for Sclavi, Franco Molina (Exeter Chiefs) for Petti (both 51); Santiago Carreras (Gloucester) for Isgro (57); Justo Piccardo (Pampas) for Cinti (60); Santiago Grondona (Bristol Bears) for Matera (62).
Sinbinned: Moroni (3-13 mins), Gomez Kodela (75).
Referee: Paul Williams (NZ)
