Ireland defeat Argentina 42 to 12 in Nations Championship opener

Ireland defeated Argentina 42 to 12 at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin to open their Nations Championship campaign, Radio Kerry and SABC Sport reported. As FTMQ News reported earlier, full-back Hugo Keenan scored three tries during the victory. [1][2][15][16]

Radio Kerry reported that Andy Farrell's side scored six tries in total. Dan Sheehan, Sam Prendergast, and Rónan Kelleher each scored a try alongside Keenan. Argentina scored an early try to take the lead before Ireland recovered to build a 21 to 5 advantage by half-time. Ireland then secured the bonus point shortly after the restart. [1]

The Nations Championship is a biennial international men's rugby union tournament that launched its inaugural edition in 2026. The competition divides 12 participating nations into two six-team conferences representing the Northern and Southern hemispheres. The format features cross-hemisphere fixtures during international windows in July and November, followed by a finals weekend. [13][14]

Ireland will next face Fiji in Dublin, Radio Kerry reported. South Africa sat top of the Southern Hemisphere table prior to their match against Italy in Turin. Additional upcoming fixtures in the tournament include Scotland hosting New Zealand at Murrayfield, Wales playing Japan, and France hosting Fiji. [1]