Needing a result to get their autumn back on track, Argentina are not an ideal opponent.

While last Friday’s defeat saw Ireland beaten by the team that beat them in the last two World Cup quarter-finals, this weekend confronts them with the most frequent thorn in their foot during these world finals.

Los Pumas have knocked Ireland out of three World Cups, in 1999, 2007 and 2015, although the most recent of those successes was their only victory in the last nine meetings between the pair.

On their last visit to Dublin three years ago, they were beaten 53-7 while, unlike this week, Ireland arrived strengthened by a memorable victory against the All Blacks.

Although the core of the Irish team and staff remains the same, Argentina has had two different head coaches since then. Mario Ledesma was followed by Michael Cheika for last year’s World Cup, with the current Leicester Tigers manager making way for Felipe Contepomi following France’s semi-final exit.

The former fly-half, who preceded Johnny Sexton in the Leinster 10 jersey, worked with many of Ireland’s Matchday 23 teams during his stint as provincial assistant coach between 2018 and 2022, and achieved impressive results during his short time in charge of the team. his country.

Led by Saracens’ Juan Martin Gonzalez and Toulouse’s Juan Cruz Mallia, his Argentina team beat South Africa, Australia and New Zealand in this year’s Rugby Championship and shared a July series with France, while developing offensive rugby.