Buenas noches, aficianados al rugby. 

Ireland are back on home turf for the first time since sealing the Six Nations title back in March.

They have sealed a Grand Slam and a series win Down Under and today could mark a firm footing in their bid to move top of the World Rugby rankings.

Kick-off is not until 6.30pm, so you’ve time to make a pot of tea or pop a few beers in the freezer before our old foes Argentina take the field.

Here are the teams for this evening’s Test (to be broadcast on RTE and Channel 4).

Ireland:

15. Jordan Larmour
14. Keith Earls
13. Robbie Henshaw
12. Bundee Aki
11. Jacob Stockdale
10. Johnny Sexton
9. Kieran Marmion

1. Cian Healy
2. Rory Best (captain)
3. Tadhg Furlong
4. Iain Henderson
5. James Ryan
6. Peter O’Mahony
7. Sean O’Brien
8. CJ Stander

Replacements:

16. Sean Cronin
17. Jack McGrath
18. Andrew Porter
19. Devin Toner
20. Dan Leavy
21. Luke McGrath
22. Joey Carbery
23. Andrew Conway

Argentina:

15. Emiliano Boffelli
14. Bautista Delguy
13. Matias Orlando
12. Jerónimo De La Fuente
11. Ramiro Moyano
10. Nicolás Sánchez
9. Tomás Cubelli

1. Santiago García Botta
2. Agustin Creevy
3. Santiago Medrano
4. Matías Alemanno
5. Tomás Lavanini
6. Pablo Matera (captain)
7. Guido Petti
8. Javier Ortega Desio

Replacements:

16. Julián Montoya
17. Juan Pablo Zeiss
18. Lucio Sordoni
19. Rodrigo Bruni
20. Tomás Lezana
21. Gonzalo Bertranou
22. Joaquin Diaz Bonilla
23. Matías Moroni

Referee: Nic Berry [Australia].

Sheesh! There’s always a bit of pre-match selection drama with Ireland and this time it’s Robbie Henshaw. The centre appears to have pulled up in the warm-up and Will Addison appears to be taking up a role in the run-through at present.

RTE now report that Addison is indeed in to start in Henshaw’s place. 

What a way to win your first full cap.

So let’s look at that revised Ireland team with Will Addison at 13 in big Bob Henshaw’s place. 

Ireland:

15. Jordan Larmour
14. Keith Earls
13. Will Addison
12. Bundee Aki
11. Jacob Stockdale
10. Johnny Sexton
9. Kieran Marmion

1. Cian Healy
2. Rory Best (captain)
3. Tadhg Furlong
4. Iain Henderson
5. James Ryan
6. Peter O’Mahony
7. Sean O’Brien
8. CJ Stander

Replacements:

16. Sean Cronin
17. Jack McGrath
18. Andrew Porter
19. Devin Toner
20. Dan Leavy
21. Luke McGrath
22. Joey Carbery
23. Andrew Conway

So that’s the three anthems out of the way, time to get this show on the road.

KICK-OFF:

We’re off and running. Sanchez kicks off and Ireland look to attack early from the 22. 

Addison involved early, running at 45 degrees upfield and settling himself with a chance to pass.

The run of possession ends with a penalty though as Jordan Larmour is pinged for hanging on in the tackle. 

PENALTY! Ireland 0 Argentina 3 (Sanchez ’3)

A terrific strike from the out-half, clearing the bar from over 45 metres. 

Ireland have eked penalties out of their guests on the attack since, but Johnny Sexton isn’t interested in levelling the score, he wants tries. 

Thre penalties in a row now have been dinked into touch, the third sets up a 5 metre line-out which CJ Stander trucks up to form a maul that trundles over the line thanks to big shoves from O’Mahony, O’Brien, Furlong and Henderson.

Will the TMO see a try?

No. “No clear and obvious grounding” available on the replay. So Ireland remain on the attack. 

TRY! Ireland 5 Argentina 3 (Marmion ’9)

The Argentina scrum is flittered and Marmion bounces through the wreckage to put Ireland on the board.

Sexton takes aim from wide on the right, but his connection is aa messy one the ball cuts well wide.

PENALTY! Ireland 5 Argentina 6 (Sanchez ’12)

TRY! Ireland 5 Argentina 11 (Delguy ’18)

Ireland looking oddly sluggish against the Pumas’ attack so far. 

Delguy is involved centrally after a break from Orlando and then the young flyer pops up out wide to finish off.

Super try. 

Big turnover after Ireland crash into Guido Petti once more. Green bodies flying into rucks but getting little change.

Stockdale runs the ball back after the kick away and jinks well before forcing another penalty as Argentina go off feet as he’s tackled just over halfway. 

A penalty advantage quickly comes after Ireland attempt to maul from the resulting penalty. Sexton uses the free play to attempt a cross-field kick towards Earls. Again though, his connection isn’t great.

But back we go for another line-out.  

The error comes all to easily from Ireland, Iain Henderson dropping the ball into the maul.

But, hold on, there’s a big turnover and Ireland can attack from close-range again. 

TRY! Ireland 10 Argentina 11 (Aki ’24)

Argentina withstand the crashing green bodies only so long and Bundee Aki takes the ball and spots a loose pillar to drive at and forces his way over the line despite a desperate tackle.

Sexton with a sweet strike this time and Ireland are back in front.  

Tadhg Furlong and the Ireland front row currently making absolute shite of the Argentina scrum. These are heady days indeed. 

The scrum is a shining light for Ireland, but in other facets the hosts are stuttering badly.

Orlando and De La Fuente are making the most of any uncertain in Ireland’s midfield and are finding holes to exploit.

O’Mahony is penalised for a high hit on Sanchez and the 10 dusts himself down to knock the tourists back into the lead with a clinical penalty.

PENALTY! Ireland 12 Argentina 14 (Sanchez ’35)

That’s a sickener for Sean O’Brien, he goes to tackle Lavanini and winds up walking off with his forearm up in a sling.

Horrible way for the Tullow Tank to end his international comeback.

Meanwhile though, Sexton gets another sight of goal and nails a huge penalty to keep this lead from settling into Argentine hands.

PENALTY! Ireland 15 Argentina 14 (Sexton ’40)

HALF-TIME:  Ireland 15 Argentina 14

Sanchez snaps off a late drop-goal attempt as these sides desperately try to claim an advantage by the interval. But it’s Ireland who shade the scoreboard despite all their problems in that first 40. 

The teams are out for the second half. Can Ireland blow off the cobwebs and pull clear of the Pumas in the second 40?

That’s pretty harsh in my book on Dan Leavy. The flanker is penalised for making a tackle from the ground (immediately after making a clean tackle). Looked like he couldn’t do much to get out of the way of the second carrier.

Anyway, we’re behind again.

PENALTY! Ireland 15 Argentina 17 (Sanchez ’43)

Leavy shrugs off the penalty and gets himself clamped on a ball like a limpet. Absolutely sensational work from the openside to force a turnover.

Sexton looks for the corner, but yet again his connection is heavy and the ball trickles over the try-line. 

Sexton is hit late by Creevy in the next set and he’ll get another sight of goal.

Ooof.   The 10 drops his long-range effort just short of the bar. 

Young ref Nic Berry showing a whole lot of restraint to not issue a card Argentina’s way. The visitors showing a voracious appetite for penalties.

More danger on show from Argentina as the burst clear after a bout of pressure. Bofelli makes a break in his own half and chips into the 22 as Earls drags him down.

Sexton does well to collect the awkward bounce and stand firm when the chasing Puma hits him. 

Kieran Marmion struggling with his ankle and looks set to come off as another penalty comes Ireland’s way.

The scrum-half suffered the same knock during the inter-pro clash with Ulster last month.

PENALTY! Ireland 18 Argentina 17 (Sexton ’58)

Marmion has been put on ice and Luke McGrath is in the game in time for Sexton’s clean 35 metre kick between the posts. 

Devin Toner, Sean Cronin and Jack McGrath are also now lending their muscle to the Ireland tight five. Will Toner magically solve Ireland’s line-out troubles? 

Probably.

Argentina stand firm through 20 phases of Irish pressure. After being batted back, Addison and Larmour burst and that latter kicks down the tram-lines, but the ball runs out of play.

It’s all very furstrating. 

Ireland turn up the power when play resumes and Dan Leavy looks back to his best as he gets a big leg drive on in contact and goes under the posts.

It’s called as held up. So we’ll scrum away. 

TRY! Ireland 25 Argentina 17 (Luke McGrath ’65)

Just as Marmion did in the first half, Luke McGrath springs off the back of a dominant scrum to dive over the try-line.

Some very welcome breathing space for Ireland. 

Bundee Aki was down clutching an ankle there too. Nobody wants to pick up an injury, but this week obviously holds particular significance. 

A little flash of some brilliant handling skills as Ireland mount another attack in Argentina’s 22.

O’Mahony, Earls and Larmour all showing excellent catch-pass skills to keep the ball moving as they kept rumbling forward. 

PENALTY! Ireland 28 Argentina 17 (Sexton ’76)

We’re approaching the close here with James Ryan named MOTM. 

Ireland will get one last chance to attack with Joey Carbery as the Pumas knock on in midfield.

It’s a nice central set-piece, good platform if we can use it. 

FULL-TIME Ireland 28 Argentina 17

That’s it from me, folks. Thanks for stopping by to keep track of Ireland’s first home November Test of the season.

It didn’t have the fireworks we were hoping for, and there will be injury concerns to keep the medical room busy, but all in all it’s not a bad platform to work from for next weekend’s massive clash with the All Blacks.