Ireland have finished off their November internationals in ideal fashion, recording a comfortable 53-7 victory over Argentina at the Aviva Stadium this evening.
In truth, outside of an early try from the visitors, this result was never in doubt. Ireland were utterly dominant in every facet of the game, with the x-point winning margin in no way flattering the hosts.
They played some excellent rugby at times, but they also just seemed to overpower the Argentines. It was certainly an excellent end to the year for Andy Farrell's side.
Here's how we rated the performances on the day.
Ireland Player Ratings
15. Hugo Keenan - 7
Great to see his counter-attack ability. Always looking to get on the ball.
Dominated the aerial battle and covered a huge amount of the backfield.
14. Robert Baloucoune - 7
Huge influence before Doris’ try, and was electric when he got on the ball. Needed to get off his wing and find the ball more.
13. Garry Ringrose - 8
Continued his good form with a sharp performance. A key player in Ireland’s attack & defence.
12. Robbie Henshaw - 8
Missing some match sharpness but will be happy with his outing. Carrying very well and dealt with any treats that Argentina threw at him.
11. James Lowe - 8
Another confident outing for the Irish left wing. Continues to impress with his huge left boot and his licence to roam in attack.
10. Joey Carbery - 8
Showed his ability with a confident start to the game and grew into it. Will benefit from the game time as he gets to grips with the organisation of the attack shape Ireland are looking to play.
Finished the game at 15 where he showed some great touches.
9. Conor Murray -6
Disappointing performance by one of Ireland’s most experienced players. May not have the pace any more to play the type of game Ireland have looked to play the last few weeks.
1. Andrew Porter - 7
Tough day in the scrum but handled the pressure well. Powered over for Ireland’s second try. Gave away three needless penalties.
2. Ronan Kelleher - 8
Was central to all that was good about Ireland. Throw well, with some dynamic Ball Carries and a big defensive performance (ten tackles).
3. Tadhg Furlong - 7
Rock solid performance from the tight head. Destructive in Ireland’s maul. Continues to be a key ball player and carrier in Ireland’s attack.
4. Tadhg Beirne - 8
A late call-up before kick-off, played like an extra backrower. Always looking for work in attack and defence, with 14 tackles. Took a well-deserved try in the final five minutes.
5. James Ryan (Capt.) – 7
Solid first half by the Ireland captain. Some good line-out work and pressure in team defence. Unfortunately didn’t return in the second half.
6. Peter O’Mahony - 8
Worked hard and brought the physical edge needed against Argentina. His restart catch in the second half was superb.
7. Josh Van Der Flier - 7
Continues to be an important asset to Andy Farrell’s team. Another huge work-rate performance and capped his performance with a well taken try.
8. Caelan Doris - 8
Ireland’s top ball carrying forward with ten carries. Incredible power and determination to get over for a try before half-time. Made 16 tackles.
Replacements
Dan Sheehan - 8
Ireland now have 2 impressive, dynamic hookers. Excellent throws and marked his 2nd cap with a great try from another excellent Ireland maul.
Cian Healy - 7
A 112th outing and a ninth try. Showed his experience off the bench.
Tom O’Toole - 7
A good outing for the sub prop. Will benefit from this experience.
Ryan Baird - 8
It's a wonderful sight on a rugby field to see Ryan Baird in full flight with the ball in hand. Made a huge impact off the bench.
Nick Timoney - 7
A well-deserved second cap for the Ulster backrower. Showed his quality in these 20 minutes on the field.
Craig Casey - 8
Big 30 minutes for the young man as Craig showed he can play at this level. Injected much needed pace into Ireland’s attack.
Harry Byrne - 8
Showed some good passing range when he came on. Speed of play was splendid against a tiring Argentinian defence.
Keith Earls - 7
Looked sharp when he came on.
Coach – 8
Andy Farrell and his coaches will be delighted with this performance. A chance to look at the depth of the squad and the exercise has given them much to think about.
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