Old Connacht pairing reunite in Ireland team for Argentina

The Ireland coaching group have named the match day 23 to take on Mario Ledesma’s Pumas at a sold out Aviva Stadium in the opening fixture of the 2018 Guinness Series.

Rory Best returns to captain the side having missed out on the tour of Australia through injury. He is joined in the front row by Cian Healy and Tadgh Furlong. Iain Henderson and James Ryan start at lock with Peter O’Mahony, Sean O’Brien and CJ Stander filling the back-row slots.

Kieran Marmion partners Jonathan Sexton at halfback with Bundee Aki and Robbie Henshaw at inside and outside centre respectively. Jacob Stockdale and Keith Earls line out on the wings with Jordan Larmour at fullback.

The replacements for Saturday are Sean Cronin, Jack McGrath, Andrew Porter, Devin Toner, Dan Leavy, Luke McGrath, Joey Carbery and Andrew Conway

IRELAND Squad v Argentina - 2018 Guinness Series

Player/Club/Province/Caps -

15. Jordan Larmour (St. Mary's College/Leinster) 7

14. Keith Earls (Young Munster/Munster) 70

13. Robbie Henshaw (Buccaneers/Leinster) 36

12. Bundee Aki (Galwegians/Connacht) 10

11. Jacob Stockdale (Ballynahinch/Ulster) 12

10. Jonathan Sexton (St. Mary's College/Leinster) 76 (vc)

9. Kieran Marmion (Corinthians/Connacht) 22

1. Cian Healy (Clontarf/Leinster) 81

2. Rory Best (Banbridge/Ulster) 111 (c)

3. Tadhg Furlong (Clontarf/Leinster) 26

4. Iain Henderson (Queens University/Ulster) 39

5. James Ryan (UCD/Leinster) 11

6. Peter O'Mahony (Cork Constitution/Munster) 50 (vc)

7. Sean O’Brien (UCD/Leinster) 51

8. CJ Stander (Shannon/Munster) 26

Replacements

16. Sean Cronin (St. Mary's College/Leinster) 63

17. Jack McGrath (St. Mary's College/Leinster) 51

18. Andrew Porter (UCD/Leinster) 9

19. Devin Toner (Lansdowne/Leinster) 61

20. Dan Leavy (UCD/Leinster) 10

21. Luke McGrath (UCD/Leinster) 7

22. Joey Carbery (Clontarf/Munster) 13

23. Andrew Conway (Garryowen/Munster) 8