Keenan treble as Ireland punish messy Pumas in Dublin

Hugo Keenan produced a masterclass in full-back play, scoring a hat-trick as Ireland dismantled Argentina 42-12 in the Nations Championship. According to the BBC, Andy Farrell’s side punished a disciplined and messy Pumas outfit in Dublin to secure a commanding bonus-point victory ^[1]. The win moves Ireland to the top of the northern hemisphere table, providing a satisfying start to the autumn series after last year’s disappointing defeats to New Zealand.

The Independent reported that the victory preserved Ireland’s unbeaten home record against Argentina, a record that had been tested by the Pumas' stunning Lions win in 2024 ^[2]. Despite the historical context, Argentina entered the match in poor form, having lost all 11 previous meetings in Dublin. They briefly silenced the Aviva Stadium crowd when Mateo Carreras caught a cross-field kick from Tomas Albornoz, towering over scrum-half Craig Casey to score in the corner.

However, Ireland’s response was swift and devastating. Casey redeemed himself by winning a turnover penalty, sparking a flowing move that saw Keenan score his first try following an offload from Mack Hansen. Captain Dan Sheehan, leading the side in the absence of the injured Caelan Doris, added the second try after Nick Timoney’s strike play. Keenan added a second before half-time, pirouetting past defenders to give Ireland a 21-5 lead.

The night turned into a ordeal for Argentina as injuries and discipline issues mounted. Captain Julian Montoya was forced off after failing a head injury assessment, while Justo Piccardo was sin-binned. The visitors were further hampered when replacement hooker Leonel Oviedo also departed for an HIA, forcing loose-head prop Boris Wenger to fill in at hooker. Ireland’s Sam Prendergast, starting at fly-half despite a wrist concern, secured the bonus point early in the second half with his maiden international try.

Carreras scored his second for Argentina, but Keenan completed his treble following clever hands from the forwards. Ronan Kelleher touched down from a maul after Ephraim Elias was yellow-carded for a high tackle. The Independent noted that while the result was comfortable, Farrell would likely view the performance as a platform for improvement rather than a finished product ^[2].

Ireland now turn their attention to Fiji next week, with world champions South Africa visiting Dublin on 21 November. For Argentina, the loss extends their wretched record in Dublin, leaving them without an away win against Ireland after 12 attempts. The match highlighted Ireland’s depth, with surprise selections like Casey and Timoney contributing significantly to the rout.