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Ireland survived a major scare as they kickstarted their autumn campaign by holding off a spirited Argentina side to return to winning ways with an unconvincing 22-19 victory in Dublin.
Andy Farrell’s men were seeking a response to being knocked off the top of the world rankings following last week’s deflating defeat to New Zealand.
Fly-half Jack Crowley claimed the opening try at the Aviva Stadium and also kicked seven points, including a superb drop goal, to supplement first-half scores from Mack Hansen and Joe McCarthy.
However, Felipe Contepomi’s impressive Pumas refused to roll over and were within touching distance until the final whistle thanks to 14 points from Tomas Albornoz and Juan Cruz Mallia’s eye-catching solo effort.
But, on an evening when Cian Healy moved alongside Brian O’Driscoll as Ireland’s joint most-capped player, the Six Nations champions hung on, despite a scoreless second half from the hosts.
Head coach Farrell made just one change to his starting XV following the 23-13 loss to the All Blacks, replacing Bundee Aki with Robbie Henshaw at inside centre.
Ireland appeared to have made a nightmare start when a poor pass from Henshaw’s midfield partner Garry Ringrose gifted Matias Moroni a third-minute try.
Yet Argentina’s joy was short-lived as, following a review, Moroni was yellow carded for head-on-head contact with Crowley in the build-up, prompting the score to be disallowed.
Crowley then capped an eventful opening five minutes by diving over and converting before Hansen quickly added another after being teed up by Tadhg Beirne following a fine break from Ringrose.
Argentina, coached by former Leinster fly-half Contepomi, were chasing a first win on Irish soil at the 11th attempt to claim another scalp of 2024 following victories over France, New Zealand, Australia and South Africa.
Their quest almost became more difficult in the 15th minute but Beirne dropped the ball just before grounding at the end of a rampaging run.
A pair of penalties from fly-half Albornoz, either side of Beirne’s frustration, reduced the Pumas’ deficit, with the second of those kicks coming on the back of Ireland prop Finlay Bealham being sin binned for a crocodile roll on rival tighthead Joel Sclavi.
Following the early promise, the hosts were struggling to gain control of a chaotic contest.
Crowley’s superb 40-yard drop goal kept the scoreboard ticking over in Bealham’s absence before McCarthy bulldozed over to register Ireland’s third try following another three points from the boot of Albornoz.
Argentina dominated the closing stages of the half and only the power of the Irish pack, plus some good fortune when Albornoz’s crossfield kick bounced in the in-goal area, ensured the hosts led 22-9 at the interval.
Pockets of passionate Pumas fans dotted around the ground were finally able to celebrate a try five minutes into the second period thanks to a moment of magic from Mallia.
The full-back collected the ball on halfway and cut Ireland open, evading tackles from Ringrose, Caelan Doris, Hansen and James Lowe to touch down underneath the posts.
Proceedings were starting to become slightly uncomfortable for the hosts and Albornoz moved the Pumas within three points after lock McCarthy was yellow carded as punishment for repeated Irish infringements.
Veteran prop Healy, who made his international debut in 2009, received rapturous applause, including from the watching O’Driscoll, when he came on for his 133rd Test appearance in the 67th minute.
The game was still very much in the balance at that stage as Ireland searched in vain for their first points of a stuttering second period.
Argentina were no doubt sensing an upset.
Yet their momentum was derailed by replacement prop Francisco Gomez Kodela conceding a crucial late penalty and being yellow carded for ploughing into the head of Doris, before the relieved hosts overcame a nervy climax to scrape success.
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