Ireland open Nations Championship Northern Series at Aviva against Argentina on Friday
Ireland and Argentina meet at the Aviva Stadium on Friday 6 November at 20:10 GMT as Ireland begin their Nations Championship Northern Series campaign, with live coverage on BBC Radio Ulster and the BBC Sport website and app.
The fixture brings a layered rivalry: Ireland have won 14 of the 20 previous meetings between the sides, yet Argentina have been Ireland's undoing at World Cups, winning all three previous World Cup encounters and precipitating Ireland's early exits on each occasion. With Ireland's first match at Australia 2027 now just under 11 months away, the sides could meet again at the quarter-final stage on Halloween night in Brisbane if results follow the seeding.
Head coach Andy Farrell named his team on Wednesday afternoon and admitted the squad are not yet where he wants them to be, saying they are not presently "good enough to board the plane believing that 100%" they are ready to lift the Webb Ellis trophy for the first time. Ireland's recent struggles against the very best have been stark: their only six defeats across the past two years came against New Zealand, South Africa and France, all by double-digit margins.
Selection issues have shaped this window. With Jack Crowley injured, Sam Prendergast has been handed another opportunity at fly-half; the Leinster player made his debut in this fixture two years ago when he was 21, has had an uneven start to his Test career and had lost his place in his province's matchday 23 by the time of last season's Champions Cup final.
Farrell has started with two players who have often been used from the bench. Jamison Gibson-Park has already taken on the role as the backline's cerebral fulcrum and, despite missing the start of the season with a groin injury, was named player of the match on his return against Munster at the Aviva Stadium. He will begin this window on the bench, with Craig Casey selected to start; the 27-year-old Casey will win his 31st cap on Friday and will make just a second start against a side currently in the top eight of the world rankings.
There are changes in the back row as well: Nick Timoney is preferred to Josh van der Flier and will be making a start at this level for the first time, while absences through injury for Caelan Doris and Jack Conan shift responsibility onto the Ulster flanker, Sean Jansen, and Ryan Baird; how those players cope with an abrasive Argentina back row is expected to be influential on the outcome. United Rugby Championship form for the four Irish provinces has been poor this season, with the provinces combining for just six wins, three of them by Leinster.
Argentina arrive with selection and coaching tweaks. Head coach Felipe Contepomi has spoken of the historic significance of chasing a first away win over Ireland; 12 of his matchday squad were part of the Aviva victory over the British and Irish Lions 17 months ago. The Pumas have lost 12 of their 18 Tests since that Lions win, have absentees including Bath's Santiago Carreras and Lyon prop Thomas Gallo, and have made 12 changes from the 28-28 draw with Australia in September to produce a starting XV with 750 caps' worth of Test experience, with Shaun Edwards and Mario Ledesma added to Contepomi's coaching staff.
Ireland host Argentina on Friday at 20:10 GMT, and attention will then turn to the visit of South Africa to Dublin on 21 November as Ireland continue their Nations Championship Northern Series campaign.