Ireland's O'Brien returns to face Pumas

Flanker Sean O'Brien has been recalled by Ireland to face an Argentina side who have made sweeping changes in their forward pack for Saturday's Dublin clash.

Dynamic flanker Sean O'Brien has returned to the Ireland team for the first time since last November to face Argentina in Dublin as coach Joe Schmidt retained only two players from the side that beat Italy last week.

Jordan Larmour, who scored three tries in the 54-7 mauling of the Italians in Chicago, stays at full back and left wing Jacob Stockdale also plays again in a significantly strengthened Irish side.

British and Irish Lions flanker O'Brien, 31, last turned out for the national team in the 28-19 win over the Pumas 12 months ago but has been blighted by hip and shoulder injuries since.

The 21-year-old Larmour has another chance to show his talent after a man-of-the-match showing last week.

Rob Kearney, who has a shoulder injury, and Garry Ringrose, who had a hip problem, are rested but available for next weekend's clash against New Zealand.

Meanwhile, Argentina have made sweeping changes in their forward pack and handed scrumhalf Tomas Cubelli a recall for Saturday's encounter.

Cubelli, who replaced Gonzalo Bertranou, last started for the Pumas against the All Blsacks in September in the Rugby Championship, where Argentina posted their best performance this year.

But the Pumas blew a chance to finish the annual southern hemisphere championship in their final match against Australia in Salta.

Ahead 31-7 at halftime, the Pumas lost 45-34 after the second biggest collapse in the international rugby history.

In response to that meltdown, coach Mario Ledesma changed the captaincy for Argentina's November internationals in Europe, handing the armband to flanker Pablo Matera.

He also revamped his scrum for Saturday's test in Dublin, the first of four games on their European tour.

Santiago Garcia Botta and Santiago Medrano came in at prop, and Matias Alemanno starts at lock forward in place of Guido Petti, who moved to flanker in place of Marcos Kremer. Batista Delguy replaced Matias Moroni at centre.

Argentina beat Ireland 43-20 in the 2015 World Cup quarter-finals but the Irish are now ranked second in the world, seven places ahead of the Pumas.

Teams:

Ireland: Jordan Larmour, Keith Earls, Robbie Henshaw, Bundee Aki, Jacob Stockdale, Jonathan Sexton, Kieran Marmion, CJ Stander, Sean O'Brien, Peter O'Mahony, James Ryan, Iain Henderson, Tadhg Furlong, Rory Best (capt), Cian Healy

Reps: Sean Cronin, Jack McGrath, Andrew Porter, Devin Toner, Dan Leavy, Luke McGrath, Joey Carbery, Andrew Conway.

Argentina: Emiliano Boffelli, Bautista Delguy, Matias Orlando, Jeronimo de la Fuente, Ramiro Moyano, Nicolas Sanchez, Tomas Cubelli, Javier Ortega Desio, Guido Petti, Pablo Matera (capt), Tomas Lavanini, Matias Alemanno, Santiago Medrano, Agustin Creevy, Santiago Garcia Botta

Reps: Julian Montoya, Juan Pablo Zeiss, Lucio Sordoni, Rodrigo Bruni, Tomas Lezana, Gonzalo Bertranou, Joaquin Diaz Bonilla, Matias Moroni.


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Source: AAP


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Ireland's O'Brien returns to face Pumas | SBS News