Joe Schmidt has named the Ireland team to take on Argentina in the Rugby World Cup quarter-final in Cardiff on Sunday.
With no Paul O’Connell, Peter O’Mahony or Sean O’Brien in the pack, Iain Henderson, Jordi Murphy and Chris Henry all start. Donnacha Ryan and Rhys Ruddock are brought onto the bench.
In the backs, Johnny Sexton and Keith Earls have been passed fit and keep their places from the France win; Ian Madigan and Luke Fitzgerald remain on the bench.
IRELAND TEAM TO PLAY ARGENTINA
15. Rob Kearney 14. Tommy Bowe 13. Keith Earls 12. Robbie Henshaw 11. Dave Kearney 10. Johnny Sexton 9. Conor Murray; 1. Cian Healy 2. Rory Best 3. Mike Ross 4. Devin Toner 5. Iain Henderson 6. Jordi Murphy 7. Chris Henry 8. Jamie Heaslip
Replacements: 16. Richardt Strauss 17. Jack McGrath 18. Nathan White 19. Donnacha Ryan 20. Rhys Ruddock 21. Eoin Reddan 22. Ian Madigan 23. Luke Fitzgerald
Photo by: Patrick Khachfe / Onside Images
This is probably the toughest one to call of the quarter finals. With a fully fit team you would fancy Ireland to win relatively comfortably, but without the three O’s the Argies could come away with a win.
The Argies have beaten SA and pushed both Aus and NZ close in recent times. Will be interesting to see their teamsheet.
I can’t see the Pumas loosing that one, better scrum and this is clearly a team really strong on the high balls meaning Ireland will need to show some real rugby and I doubt they can.
Nobody likes a sore loser, Lacharge, which you are. Ireland have definitively shown that they “can” as you put it. It’s also a team of Heineken cup final winners.
Not really sure the comment can be dismissed like that. Ireland have proven that they can be extremely effective. But match them at the breakdown and combat them under the high ball then I think it’s fair to question them.
Certainly that’s exactly how Wales beat them back in the 6 nations.
I expect Argentina to do both those things; so it’ll be a huge test to see if Ireland can adapt to that.
Dude you should take your pills and cool off. The problem with blind fans like you is that they don’t bring any additional value in the discussion, I am just saying that so far Ireland was not impressive at all, poor against Italy, not better against France which are both two terrible teams this year. The team is physical yes, clinical maybe and solid defense but if you enjoyed the attacking game they played then your expectations are relatively low. Argentina has all the strengths that Ireland doesn’t like and I do think they have some really talented skills to create some nice breakdown. By the way between you and me, the Irish provinces are crap in the ERC cup…
Italy targeted Ireland in the pool stages and they did extremely well. Go and watch Ireland v Canada if you want the kind of attacking play you’re talking about. This is the world cup, son. New Zealand beat France 8-7 in the last final.
“By the way between you and me, the Irish provinces are crap in the ERC cup…”
Trollhood! In recent years, they haven’t been quite as successful but still the Irish team is loaded with heineken cup winners. Winners want to win and can. Sure, Argentina could beat Ireland but that would be the end of the road for them imo once they play Australia in the next round, a team that hammered Argentina in their last championship meeting. Ireland can and do want to win the whole thing, now go back and play ice hockey with your other teenage groupies young child.
Who is a sore looser now? Ireland got smashed all the way, you clearly dont understand rugby, I thank Ireland won BIG money banking Argentina. But you will never answer nor apologize sore looser U say?
The betting odds have Ireland for this one across the board. New Zealand were poor against Argentina, they were brilliant against a terrific Tonga performance. Argentina’s record against southern hem nations is not as good as Ireland’s not remotely close, yet the Argentina team is more dangerous now. Ireland should look to ARGENTINA 9 – 34 AUSTRALIA in Mendoza last July in the championship to see alternative ways to exploit them.