By Padraic Halpin
DUBLIN (Reuters) -Ireland survived a fierce second half comeback from Argentina to narrowly defeat the Pumas 22-19 at the Aviva Stadium on Friday and just about bounce back from last week’s disappointing loss to New Zealand.
Ireland led 22-9 at halftime after ruthlessly punishing an early Argentina yellow card with two tries in the first seven minutes from Jack Crowley and Mack Hansen. Joe McCarthy added a third after Tomas Albornoz had kept the visitors in touch.
A very different Argentina side emerged after the break with Juan Cruz Mallia slicing the hosts open and Albornoz cutting the lead to just three points before Ireland composed themselves, in no small part thanks to an impressive debut off the bench from 21-year-old flyhalf Sam Prendergast to hang on.
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“I think there was a bit of a extra pressure on some of us based on our performances last week,” Ireland captain Caelan Doris said in a pitchside interview, referring to the error-filled 23-13 loss to the All Blacks.
“We felt we started well but their quality showed in the second half. It definitely tested the resilience, tested our fitness and our mental fortitude.”
The in-form Pumas came to Dublin fancying their chance of a first win on Irish soil in their 11th attempt but immediately dug themselves into a hole when centre Matias Moroni was sent to the sin bin for a high tackle on Ireland flyhalf Crowley.
It was Crowley who sidestepped his way to open the scoring within a minute and the hosts further exploited the wide open spaces when a searing break from Garry Ringrose break opened things up to hand the easiest of finishes to wing Hansen.
The almost wholly unchanged Irish side were showing the kind of attacking intent sorely missing last week when they were dominated by the All Blacks but it wasn’t a flawless reaction, allowing Albornoz to chip away at the lead.
KNIFE EDGE
Crowley, one of the poor performers coach Andy Farrell highlighted when he said some of his players were “probably lucky” to keep their places, was much improved in the first half and struck a superb drop goal in between the Albornoz penalties.
Argentina were unable to take similar advantage when Finlay Bealham was sent to the sin bin and McCarthy extended the lead back to a more comfortable margin when the Irish prop returned.
If the fine attacking rugby Argentina showed in wins this year over France, New Zealand, South Africa and Australia was absent in the first half, it was on full display five minutes into the second when Toulouse fullback Mallia slipped a tackle and danced through the Irish defence for the try of the game.
Ireland looked rattled and the raggedness of last week’s returned as Albornoz made it a three-point game and Farrell’s head was in his hands in the coaches’ box when McCarthy was yellow carded for persistent Irish infringements.
Farrell described Ireland’s discipline after the game as “desperate.”
The game was suddenly on a knife edge and with Crowley among those making errors, Farrell handed the reins to Prendergast and got a similarly big impact from the rest of the bench, including a record equalling 133rd appearance in green for Cian Healy.
The composed Prendergast added some much needed zip back into the Irish attack and helped wrestle the game back in their favour while a fourth yellow card of the game for replacement Francisco Gomez Kodela added to Argentina’s task.
Felipe Contepomi’s men gave the Irish one more scare at the death but Six Nations champions hung on near their own line to avoid back-to-back defeats for the first time since 2021.
(Reporting by Padraic Halpin, editing by Pritha Sarkar)
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