Hugo Keenan Hat-Trick Powers Ireland to 42-12 Nations Championship Win Over Argentina

Ireland Score Six Tries to Beat Argentina 42-12 in Nations Championship Opener

Ireland defeated Argentina 42-12 at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin on Friday, November 6, 2026, with full-back Hugo Keenan scoring a hat-trick in a bonus-point victory that opened the autumn Nations Championship, Sky Sports reported. The home side crossed the line six times against the Pumas’ two, securing the four-try bonus point with tries from Keenan, captain Dan Sheehan, fly-half Sam Prendergast, and replacement hooker Ronan Kelleher before 50,000 spectators.

Argentina struck first when wing Mateo Carreras collected a Tomás Albornoz kick-pass to score in the 10th minute, but Ireland responded within five minutes through Keenan, who finished a backline move involving Robert Baloucoune and Mack Hansen. Prendergast converted, and Keenan added a second try in the 30th minute after Ryan Baird won a lineout steal, giving Ireland a 21-5 halftime lead.

Keenan Completes Hat-Trick as Ireland Pull Away in Second Half

Prendergast crossed for Ireland’s fourth try two minutes after the restart, and Carreras scored his second in the 46th minute following a break by Santiago Chocobares. Keenan then completed his hat-trick in the 50th minute, diving over after quick hands from Tadhg Furlong, Joe McCarthy, and Baird. Kelleher added the sixth try from a rolling maul in the 55th minute, with Ciaran Frawley converting to set the final score.

Argentina were reduced to 14 players twice, with centre Justo Piccardo sin-binned in the first half for a cynical penalty and replacement lock Efraín Elias shown a yellow card by the TMO for a high tackle on Keenan, according to autumn-internationals.co.uk.

Farrell Praises Returning Players but Demands More Ruthlessness

Head coach Andy Farrell said his side was “delighted to get the win” but warned that “we have to be more ruthless,” noting that six tries to two “says a lot” about the performance. He highlighted the contributions of Keenan, Baird, Andrew Porter, and Hansen, players who had not featured recently in international rugby.

Keenan, named player of the match, said he was “delighted to be out here” after 21 months away from the Aviva Stadium in green, calling his tries “walk-ins” that came at the end of good team plays. The full-back added that beating Argentina by 30 points without playing to full potential was “exciting because there is a lot to work on.”

Lock Tadhg Beirne described Ireland as “very good in patches” and acknowledged that “there’s certainly a lot of parts we could have been better,” while looking ahead to the challenge of Fiji.

Ireland Face Fiji at Aviva Stadium on November 14

Ireland’s next Nations Championship Test comes against Fiji at the Aviva Stadium on Saturday, November 14, with an 8:10pm kick-off, before a match against South Africa on November 21. Argentina travel to Genoa to face Italy on the same day as the Fiji fixture.

Earlier coverage: Hugo Keenan hat-trick leads Ireland to 42-12 win over Argentina

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