Keenan hat-trick powers Ireland past Argentina but Farrell demands more ruthlessness

Ireland beat Argentina 42-12 at the Aviva Stadium on Saturday in a Nations Championship bonus-point victory that head coach Andy Farrell described as a good day — but not a complete one.

Hugo Keenan was the standout performer, scoring a hat-trick on his first home Test appearance since March last year. Captain Dan Sheehan, fly-half Sam Prendergast and replacement hooker Ronan Kelleher also crossed the whitewash as Ireland ran in six tries against a Pumas side undermined by yellow cards for Justo Piccardo and Efrain Elias and an early head injury to captain Julian Montoya.

Mateo Carreras scored twice for Argentina, including a 10th-minute opener, but the visitors never seriously threatened an upset. The result is Ireland’s third win from four Nations Championship matches, following summer victories over Australia and Japan and a single defeat against New Zealand.

“Obviously, the scoreline is a good one because not many teams do that to Argentina,” said Farrell. “They’re a very good side and a dangerous side. The 42, six tries — I thought some outstanding stuff, some really clinical stuff. But I think the story of the game is we missed a chance to be ruthless.”

Farrell was effusive in his praise of the back three, singling out Keenan, Mack Hansen and Robert Baloucoune. “Hugo Keenan, it’s 22 months since he played here,” Farrell said. “He didn’t even remember what side of the pitch we warmed up on, which is a bit of an insult! But, wow, he was immense. Same with Mack and Rob — the pace that Baloucoune put on to the ball, he was a threat every time he got his hands on it.”

The victory was not without cost. Sheehan was briefly removed for a head injury assessment, though Farrell said the captain “seems fine”. Baloucoune, Hansen, Sean Jansen and Josh van der Flier also picked up knocks, leaving Ireland’s medical staff with work to do ahead of next weekend’s meeting with Fiji.

Argentina head coach Felipe Contepomi acknowledged that individual errors proved decisive. “I’m very proud of the effort and what they tried to do, going hard from the start,” he said. “But we know there were a lot of individual errors which we need to get better at.”

The Pumas have now lost all 12 of their meetings with Ireland in Dublin, a run that stretches back years despite their memorable victory over Farrell’s Lions squad on a previous visit to the Aviva Stadium.