Ireland secured a 29-9 win over Argentina on a freezing afternoon in Dublin on Sunday, as the November Tests came to a conclusion.
Stephen Ferris completed a fine first half move and Gordon D’Arcy went over late on for the game’s only two tries, while the difference in kicking performances between Jonathan Sexton and Felipe Contepomi gave the Irish a big advantage.
Contepomi missed an opportunity with a drop-goal attempt early on, but the visitors had made a fine start, and after Sexton had booted a clearance out on the full, Argentina caught and rolled towards the line, only to be stopped just short.
The early pressure continued, but in the scrum, Argentina were told to use the ball and failed to, somewhat relieving the Irish defence.
A stunning line break by Andrew Trimble led to the first points of the game. After the winger was eventually stopped, Genaro Fessia put hands in the ruck, and Sexton kicked the resultant penalty from 30 metres.
Ireland grabbed a try on 20 minutes. With the Pumas sucked to the ruck, the ball was fed right to Tommy Bowe, who passed to man-of-the-match Jamie Heaslip, and the number eight offloaded for Ferris to score out wide. Sexton then converted brilliantly.
From the restart, however, Sean Cronin was called for coming into the side of the ruck, but Contepomi missed the very kickable penalty.
Sexton extended Ireland’s lead after 28 minutes, kicking a penalty after an offside.
Contepomi finally got on the score-sheet soon afterwards, thanks to Donncha O'Callaghan’s offside, but another Fessia transgression saw Sexton re-establish Ireland’s 13-point advantage.
Contepomi, not on form, was unsuccessful from distance with a penalty on 37 minutes, before Sexton struck through the posts after Argentina did wrong in the ruck yet again, to leave Ireland 19-3 up at the break.
Eight minutes into the second half, Contepomi missed a half-decent chance from a penalty, but the former Leinster man landed one a little before the hour, with the Pumas on top at that stage.
Ireland rallied, and reopened a 16-point gap when Sexton’s penalty from almost on the halfway line went over, but Contepomi dragged Argentina back with a place-kick 12 minutes from time, after replacement Damien Varley held on close to his own posts.
Replacement Keith Earls was denied a try by the television referee late on, but D’Arcy ensured Ireland finished on a high, chipping and collecting for his side’s second try. Ronan O’Gara, on for the closing stages, kicked a nice conversion to bring the afternoon to a close.