DUBLIN : Ireland coach Andy Farrell made just one change for Friday’s test against Argentina at the Aviva Stadium, handing his tried and tested players a chance to make amends for a rare ragged performance against New Zealand last week.
The 23-13 loss to the All Blacks was the back-to-back Six Nations champions’ third defeat in five games with the lack of attacking intent, poor discipline and litany of errors just as disappointing as the relinquishing of a 19-game unbeaten home run.
The only change to face a dangerous Argentina side coming off the back of a solid Rugby Championship sees Robbie Henshaw replacing Bundee Aki at centre, where he will partner Garry Ringrose. The three have long competed for the two spots.
“It’s been a tricky few days. We reviewed the game yesterday and started to turn the page and look forward to this Friday, because it’s another huge challenge,” captain Caelan Doris told Virgin Media television.
There are four changes among the replacements after a disappointing impact off the bench last week contributed to Ireland’s failure to score in the last 36 minutes. The Leinster duo of prop Thomas Clarkson and highly touted flyhalf Sam Prendergast are in line for their debuts.
Elsewhere on the bench and on the other end of the spectrum, 37-year-old prop Cian Healy will join Brian O’Driscoll as Ireland’s most capped player if he comes on to make his 133rd appearance.
Healy, who made his Irish debut 15 years ago, has already made more European Champions Cup appearances than any other club player and became Leinster’s most capped player last month.
He will look to surpass Irish great O’Driscoll in the final games of Ireland’s November series against Fiji and Australia, Farrell’s last series before stepping away temporarily next year to lead the British & Irish Lions.
Team:
15-Hugo Keenan, 14-Mack Hansen, 13-Garry Ringrose, 12-Robbie Henshaw, 11-James Lowe, 10-Jack Crowley, 9-Jamison Gibson-Park, 8-Caelan Doris (captain), 7-Josh van der Flier, 6-Tadhg Beirne, 5-James Ryan, 4-Joe McCarthy, 3-Finlay Bealham, 2-Ronan Kelleher, 1-Andrew Porter
Replacements: 16-Rob Herring, 17-Cian Healy, 18-Thomas Clarkson, 19-Ryan Baird, 20-Peter O’Mahony, 21-Craig Casey, 22-Sam Prendergast, 23-Jamie Osborne.
(This story has been corrected to say 19-game unbeaten home run, not unbeaten run, in paragraph 2
