Ireland boss Farrell makes big call at halfback for Argentina
TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Ireland head coach Andy Farrell has named his team for Friday night’s Nations Championship Northern Hemisphere Series clash against Argentina at Aviva Stadium.
Captain Dan Sheehan leads Ireland as they get their November campaign underway in Dublin.
Sean Jansen is selected to make his first Test start in green having made his debut during the summer, while Sam Illo is also in line for his home debut at Aviva Stadium off the bench.
Hugo Keenan starts at fullback with Robert Baloucoune and Mack Hansen, who will make his first Ireland appearance in a year, on the wings.
Stuart McCloskey partners Robbie Henshaw in the Ireland midfield, as Craig Casey and Sam Prendergast link up as the halfback pairing.
#TeamAnnouncement: Strong Los Pumas side to face Ireland
https://t.co/cprEKbX2ZP— Rugby365 (@rugby365com) November 4, 2026
In the pack, Andrew Porter, captain Sheehan and Tadhg Furlong make up the front row, with Joe McCarthy and Tadhg Beirne in the engine room.
Ryan Baird is named at blindside flanker, Nick Timoney is at openside and Jansen completes the starting team at number eight.
Farrell has an experienced bench to call upon on Friday night, with Rónan Kelleher, Tom O’Toole, Illo, James Ryan and Josh van der Flier providing the forward replacements, while Jamison Gibson-Park, Ciaran Frawley and Bundee Aki are the backline options.
Vodafone has been a hugely valued partner of Irish Rugby, and we’re delighted to help mark 25 years of Vodafone in Ireland on Friday night.
The special Vodafone 25 jersey the team will wear against Argentina is a great way to celebrate the milestone and the strong connection our partnership has built with supporters across the country.
Ireland: 15 Hugo Keenan, 14 Robert Baloucoune, 13 Robbie Henshaw, 12 Stuart McCloskey, 11 Mack Hansen, 10 Sam Prendergast, 9 Craig Casey, 8 Sean Jansen, 7 Nick Timoney, 6 Ryan Baird, 5 Tadhg Beirne, 4 Joe McCarthy, 3 Tadhg Furlong, 2 Dan Sheehan, 1 Andrew Porter
Replacements: 16 Rónan Kelleher, 17 Tom O’Toole, 18 Sam Illo, 19 James Ryan, 20 Josh van der Flier, 21 Jamison Gibson-Park, 22 Ciaran Frawley, 23 Bundee Aki
Date: November 6, 2026
Venue: Aviva Stadium, Ireland
Kick-off: 20:20 (22:10 SAST; 20:10 GMT)
Referee: Luke Pearce (England)
Assistant Referees: Hollie Davidson (Scotland) and Morné Ferreira (South Africa)
TMO: Andrew Jackson (England)
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