Head-To-Head: Ireland v Argentina

See below for a statistical preview of Saturday’s vital GUINNESS Series 2008 match between Ireland and Argentina at Croke Park (kick-off 2.45pm).

GUINNESS SERIES 2008: Saturday, November 22 

IRELAND v ARGENTINA, Croke Park, 2.45pm (live RTE Two/BBC One)

IRELAND: Geordan Murphy (Leicester Tigers); Tommy Bowe (Ospreys), Brian O’Driscoll (UCD/Leinster) (capt), Luke Fitzgerald (Blackrock College/Leinster), Rob Kearney (UCD/Leinster); Ronan O’Gara (Cork Constitution/Munster), Tomas O’Leary (Dolphin/Munster); Marcus Horan (Shannon/Munster), Jerry Flannery (Shannon/Munster), John Hayes (Bruff/Munster), Donncha O’Callaghan (Cork Constitution/Munster), Paul O’Connell (Young Munster/Munster), Stephen Ferris (Dungannon/Ulster), David Wallace (Garryowen/Munster), Jamie Heaslip (Naas/Leinster).

Replacements: Rory Best (Banbridge/Ulster), Tony Buckley (Shannon/Munster), Malcolm O’Kelly (St. Mary’s College/Leinster), Donnacha Ryan (Shannon/Munster), Eoin Reddan (London Wasps), Paddy Wallace (Ballymena/Ulster), Keith Earls (Young Munster/Munster).

ARGENTINA: Horacio Agulla (Brive); Francisco Leonelli (Saracens), Federico Martin Aramburu (Dax), Miguel Avramovic (Montauban), Rafael Carballo (Castres Olympique); Juan Martin Hernandez (Stade Francais), Nicolas Vergallo (Dax); Rodrigo Roncero (Stade Francais), Mario Ledesma (Clermont Auvergne), Juan Pablo Orlandi (Rovigo), Rimas Alvarez Kairelis (Perpignan), Patricio Albacete (Toulouse), Martin Durand (Champagnat), Juan Martin Fernandez Lobbe (Sale Sharks) (capt), Juan Manuel Leguizamon (Stade Francais).

Replacements: Alberto Vernet Basualdo (Toulouse), Marcos Ayerza (Leicester Tigers), Esteban Lozada (Toulon), Alvaro Galindo (Racing Metro), Agustin Figuerola (CASI), Santiago Fernandez (Hindu), Bernardo Stortoni (Glasgow Warriors).

Referee: Bryce Lawrence (New Zealand)
Touch Judges: Mark Lawrence (South Africa), Rob Debney (England)
Television Match Official: Graham Hughes (England)
Assessor: Steve Hilditch (Ireland)

Head-To-Head:

Played – 10
Ireland Won – 5
Argentina Won – 5

Previous Encounters:

September 30, 2007 – World Cup Pool Match – Ireland 15 Argentina 30, Parc des Princes, Paris

Ireland Scorers: Tries: Brian O’Driscoll, Geordan Murphy; Con: Ronan O’Gara; Pen: Ronan O’Gara

Ireland Team: Geordan Murphy; Shane Horgan, Brian O’Driscoll, Gordon D’Arcy, Denis Hickie; Ronan O’Gara, Eoin Reddan; Marcus Horan, Jerry Flannery, John Hayes, Donncha O’Callaghan, Paul O’Connell, Simon Easterby, David Wallace, Denis Leamy.

Replacements: Rory Best, Bryan Young, Malcolm O’Kelly, Neil Best, Isaac Boss, Paddy Wallace, Gavin Duffy.

—

June 2, 2007 – Tour Match – Argentina 16 Ireland 0, Velez Sarsfield, Buenos Aires

Ireland Scorers: –

Ireland Team: Geordan Murphy; Brian Carney, Barry Murphy, Gavin Duffy, Rob Kearney; Jeremy Staunton, Eoin Reddan; Simon Best, Frankie Sheahan, Bryan Young, Leo Cullen, Mick O’Driscoll, Alan Quinlan, Shane Jennings, Stephen Ferris.

Replacements: Bernard Jackman, Tony Buckley, Malcolm O’Kelly, Neil Best, Isaac Boss, Kieran Lewis, Luke Fitzgerald.

—

May 26, 2007 – Tour Match – Argentina 22 Ireland 20, Club Atletico Colon, Santa Fe

Ireland Scorers: Try: Brian Carney, Penalty try; Cons: Paddy Wallace 2; Pens: Paddy Wallace, Gavin Duffy

Ireland Team: Gavin Duffy; Brian Carney, Andrew Trimble, Kieran Lewis, Tommy Bowe; Paddy Wallace, Isaac Boss; Bryan Young, Jerry Flannery, Simon Best, Trevor Hogan, Malcolm O’Kelly, Neil Best, Keith Gleeson, Jamie Heaslip.

Replacements: Bernard Jackman, Tony Buckley, Mick O’Driscoll, Stephen Ferris, Tomas O’Leary, Geordan Murphy, Barry Murphy.

—

November 27, 2004 – Tour Match – Ireland 21 Argentina 19, Lansdowne Road

Ireland Scorers: Pens: Ronan O’Gara 5; Drops: Ronan O’Gara 2

Ireland Team: Girvan Dempsey; Geordan Murphy, Brian O’Driscoll, Shane Horgan, Denis Hickie; Ronan O’Gara, Peter Stringer; Reggie Corrigan, Shane Byrne, John Hayes, Malcolm O’Kelly, Paul O’Connell, Simon Easterby, Johnny O’Connor, Anthony Foley.

Replacements: Frankie Sheahan, Marcus Horan, Donncha O’Callaghan, Eric Miller, Guy Easterby, David Humphreys, Kevin Maggs.

—

October 26, 2003 – World Cup Pool Match – Argentina 15 Ireland 16, Adelaide Oval

Ireland Scorers: Try: Alan Quinlan; Con: David Humphreys; Pens: David Humphreys, Ronan O’Gara 2

Ireland Team: Girvan Dempsey; Shane Horgan, Brian O’Driscoll, Kevin Maggs, Denis Hickie; David Humphreys, Peter Stringer; Reggie Corrigan, Keith Wood, John Hayes, Malcolm O’Kelly, Paul O’Connell, Simon Easterby, Alan Quinlan, Victor Costello.

Replacements: Shane Byrne, Marcus Horan, Donncha O’Callaghan, Eric Miller, Guy Easterby, Ronan O’Gara, John Kelly.

—

November 23, 2002 – Tour Match – Ireland 16 Argentina 7, Lansdowne Road

Ireland Scorers: Try: Girvan Dempsey; Con: Ronan O’Gara; Pens: Ronan O’Gara 3

Ireland Team: Girvan Dempsey; Shane Horgan, Brian O’Driscoll, Kevin Maggs, Justin Bishop; Ronan O’Gara, Peter Stringer; Reggie Corrigan, Shane Byrne, John Hayes, Gary Longwell, Malcolm O’Kelly, Victor Costello, Keith Gleeson, Anthony Foley.

Replacements: Frankie Sheahan, Marcus Horan, Leo Cullen, Alan Quinlan, Guy Easterby, David Humphreys, Geordan Murphy.

—

June 3, 2000 – Tour Match – Argentina 34 Ireland 23, Ferrocaril Oeste, Buenos Aires

Ireland Scorers: Tries: Rob Henderson, Justin Bishop 2, Malcolm O’Kelly; Pen: David Humphreys

Ireland Team: Peter McKenna; Shane Horgan, Rob Henderson, Kevin Maggs, Justin Bishop; David Humphreys, Peter Stringer; Peter Clohessy, Keith Wood, John Hayes, Mick Galwey, Malcolm O’Kelly, Simon Easterby, David Wallace, Anthony Foley.

Replacements: Frankie Sheahan, Justin Fitzpatrick, Bob Casey, Andy Ward, Guy Easterby, Ronan O’Gara, Mike Mullins.

—

October 20, 1999 – World Cup Quarter-Final Play-Off – Argentina 28 Ireland 24, Stade Felix Bollaert, Lens

Ireland Scorers: Pens: David Humphreys 7; Drop: David Humphreys

Ireland Team: Conor O’Shea; Justin Bishop, Brian O’Driscoll, Kevin Maggs, Matt Mostyn; David Humphreys, Tom Tierney; Reggie Corrigan, Keith Wood, Paul Wallace, Jeremy Davidson, Malcolm O’Kelly, Andy Ward, Kieron Dawson, Dion O’Cuinneagain.

Replacements: Ross Nesdale, Justin Fitzpatrick, Bob Casey, Eric Miller, Brian O’Meara, Eric Elwood, Jonathan Bell.

—

August 28, 1999 – Tour Match – Ireland 32 Argentina 24, Lansdowne Road

Ireland Scorers: Tries: Matt Mostyn 3, Keith Wood; Pens: David Humphreys 4

Ireland Team: Conor O’Shea; Justin Bishop, Brian O’Driscoll, Kevin Maggs, Matt Mostyn; David Humphreys, Tom Tierney; Peter Clohessy, Keith Wood, Paul Wallace, Paddy Johns, Jeremy Davidson, Trevor Brennan, Andy Ward, Dion O’Cuinneagain.

Replacements: Ross Nesdale, Justin Fitzpatrick, Malcolm O’Kelly, Eric Miller, Brian O’Meara, Eric Elwood, Mike Mullins.

—

October 27, 1990 – Tour Match – Ireland 20 Argentina 18, Lansdowne Road

Ireland Scorers: Tries: Kenneth Hooks, Michael Kiernan; Pens: Michael Kiernan 4

Ireland Team: Kenny Murphy; Kenneth Hooks, Brendan Mullin, Michael Kiernan, Keith Crossan; Brian Smith, Alain Rolland; Nick Popplewell, John McDonald, Des Fitzgerald, Donal Lenihan, Paddy Johns, Noel Mannion, Denis McBride, Philip Lawlor.

Replacements: John Fitzgerald, Terry Kingston, Mick Galwey, Michael Bradley, Ralph Keyes, Vinny Cunningham.

—

Ireland v Argentina In The World Cup:

Played – 3
Ireland Won – 1 (2003 pool match)
Argentina Won – 2 (1999 quarter-final play-off, 2007 pool match)

Biggest Win In The Series:

Ireland – Points: 32-24 (1999); Margin: 16-7 (2002)
Argentina – Points: 34-23 (2000); Margin: 16-0 (2007)

Form Guide From 2007/08 To Present:

Ireland:

2007/08: Rugby World Cup Warm-Up: Scotland 31 Ireland 21; Rugby World Cup Warm-Up: Ireland 23 Italy 20; Rugby World Cup Pool D: Ireland 32 Namibia 17; Rugby World Cup Pool D: Ireland 14 Georgia 10; Rugby World Cup Pool D: France 25 Ireland 3; Rugby World Cup Pool D: Ireland 15 Argentina 30; Six Nations: Ireland 16 Italy 11; Six Nations: France 26 Ireland 21; Six Nations: Ireland 34 Scotland 13; Six Nations: Ireland 12 Wales 16; Six Nations: England 33 Ireland 10; Summer Tour: New Zealand 21 Ireland 11; Summer Tour: Australia 18 Ireland 12; 2008/09: Autumn Test: Ireland 55 Canada 0; Autumn Test: Ireland 3 New Zealand 22 

Argentina:

2007/08: Rugby World Cup Warm-Up: Wales 27 Argentina 20; Rugby World Cup Pool D: France 12 Argentina 17; Rugby World Cup Pool D: Argentina 33 Georgia 3; Rugby World Cup Pool D: Argentina 63 Namibia 3; Rugby World Cup Pool D: Ireland 15 Argentina 30; Rugby World Cup Quarter-Final: Argentina 19 Scotland 13; Rugby World Cup Semi-Final: South Africa 37 Argentina 13; Rugby World Cup Bronze Final: France 10 Argentina 34; Summer Tour: Argentina 21 Scotland 15; Summer Tour: Argentina 14 Scotland 26; 2008/09: Summer Tour: South Africa 63 Argentina 9; Autumn Test: France 12 Argentina 6; Autumn Test: Italy 14 Argentina 22

Most-Capped Players:

Ireland: 

91 – Malcolm O’Kelly 
88 – John Hayes 
87 – Brian O’Driscoll 
86 – Ronan O’Gara
85 – Peter Stringer

Argentina:

88 – Lisandro Arbizu
87 – Rolando Martin
79 – Pedro Sporleder
77 – Federico Mendez Azpillaga 
72 – Agustin Pichot

World’s Most-Capped Players:

139 – George Gregan
119 – Jason Leonard*
118 – Fabien Pelous
111 – Philippe Sella
103 – Gareth Thomas**

(*Leonard has 114 caps for England and 5 for the Lions, **Thomas has 100 caps for Wales and 3 for the Lions)

All-Time Top Test Points Scorers:

Ireland: 

851 – Ronan O’Gara
560 – David Humphreys
308 – Michael Kiernan
296 – Eric Elwood
217 – Ollie Campbell

Argentina:

486 – Gonzalo Quesada
478 – Felipe Contepomi
440 – Hugo Porta

All-Time Top Test Try Scorers:

Ireland:

32 – Brian O’Driscoll
29 – Denis Hickie
20 – Shane Horgan
19 – Girvan Dempsey
18 – Geordan Murphy

Argentina:

29 – Jose Nunez Piossek
20 – Gustavo Jorge

World’s All-Time Top Test Points Scorers:

1099 – Jonny Wilkinson (1032 for England, 67 for the Lions)
1090 – Neil Jenkins (1049 for Wales, 41 for the Lions)
1010 – Diego Dominguez (27 for Argentina, 983 for Italy)
967 – Andrew Mehrtens (New Zealand)
911 – Michael Lynagh (Australia)
893 – Percy Montgomery (South Africa)
878 – Matt Burke (Australia)
851 – Ronan O’Gara (Ireland) 
843 – Dan Carter (New Zealand)