Rugby: Ireland beat Argentina 42-12, Hugo Keenan hat-trick
· BehindLines newsroom
Ireland beat Argentina 42-12 on Friday, November 6, at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin, in the Nations Championship. According to Sky Sports and AOL, full-back Hugo Keenan scored three tries and was named player of the match, in a bonus-point win.
How the match unfolded
According to Sky Sports, Argentina opened the scoring with a try from Mateo Carreras. According to both sources, Justo Piccardo and Efraín Elias were shown yellow cards. Sky Sports specifies that Elias's followed a high tackle on Keenan, which left Argentina with fourteen players.
At half-time, Ireland led 21-5, Sky Sports and AOL report. In all, the Irish scored six tries: three for Keenan, one for Dan Sheehan, one for Sam Prendergast and one for Ronan Kelleher. According to AOL, Prendergast also kicked five conversions and scored his first international try; Sky Sports adds that Ciaran Frawley kicked one conversion. Carreras scored both Argentine tries.
The reactions
According to Sky Sports, head coach Andy Farrell called it a good win while asking for more efficiency. Keenan felt there was "a lot to work on," according to the same outlet. Tadhg Beirne judged the team "very good in patches" but capable of getting more out of it.
Context and the schedule ahead
AOL recalls that Argentina had lost their previous eleven visits to Dublin against Ireland; Ireland therefore keep a clean home record against this opponent. This win is their third in four matches in the competition, after victories in Australia and Japan and a defeat to New Zealand, according to Sky Sports. AOL also mentions an attendance well below the stadium's capacity.
On the Argentine side, AOL says captain Julián Montoya went off injured.
Sky Sports gives the Irish side's next fixtures: hosting Fiji on Saturday, November 14, then South Africa on Saturday, November 21.
What this changes
The result takes Ireland to three wins in four matches in the competition ahead of home games against Fiji and then South Africa. For Argentina, the defeat extends a winless run in Dublin.