Grace Davitt
Former Ireland centre on BBC Radio Ulster

Ireland have to be cohesive from the start and start strong. The players coming back need to show they are flying fit and ready to get stuck in from the first minute.

Image source, Inpho

There's a familiar face in Argentina's coaching set-up.

How big of a role will Shaun Edwards play for the visitors?

One of my favourites that, pretty upbeat and has plenty of passion.

Now it's time for Ireland to take centre stage.

It's time for the anthems.

First up, it's Argentina.

Image source, Getty Images

There was the awfully sad news on Sunday that European 1500m champion and two-time Olympian Ciara Mageean had passed away at the age of 34.

She is going to be one of a number of people who will be remembered ahead of kick-off with a minute's applause.

Former IRFU chief executive Philip Browne, former Ireland and Lions back row Fergus Slattery and former international and Munster prop Phil O'Callaghan will also be remembered in Dublin.

Here come the teams in Dublin as they emerge from smoke at the exit of the tunnel.

The lights have been dimmed in the stadium and there's green lights and some flames to get everyone pumped up.

Image source, Getty Images

Ireland have never lost to Argentina on home turf.

But on Los Pumas' last visit to Dublin in 2025, they turned over the British and Irish Lions before they jetted off to Australia.

BBC Sounds

You can listen to tonight's game on BBC Sounds, BBC Radio Ulster and BBC Radio 5Live Sports Extra from 20:00 BST.

Former Ireland internationals Paul Marshall and Grace Davitt join Orla Bannon in studio.

In Dublin, ex-Ireland and Ulster centre Darren Cave is on co-commentary alongside Jim Neilly.

Then, after the match, Conor Murray and Gavin Andrews will give their reaction on the Ireland Rugby Social podcast on BBC Sounds.

We're just 15 minutes away from kick-off in Dublin.

Are you ready for the Friday night lights?

Give us your predictions.

Let us know using Get Involved.

Jonathan Bradley
BBC Sport NI senior journalist

Image source, Getty Images

Los Pumas - two words to strike fear into the heart of Ireland rugby fans.

As they return to the Aviva Stadium in the Nations Championship tonight, it feels something of an anomaly that a team who have inflicted so much hurt on Ireland over the years have never beaten them in Dublin.

Indeed, out of the 20 previous meetings between these two sides, Ireland have won 14. It is the nature of those handful of losses, however, that have so coloured this rivalry.

Three times the sides have met at the World Cup.

Three times Argentina have won and three times the result has heralded Ireland's early exit from the competition.

With Ireland's first game of Australia 2027 now just under 11 months away, the sight of the blue and white hoops of their frequent tournament nemesis will certainly sharpen the mind.

All the more so given that, should results go in accordance with seeding, the sides would meet at the quarter-final stage on Halloween night in Brisbane.

Final preparations in Dublin.

Image source, Inpho

Image source, Inpho

Ireland Rugby Social
Listen on BBC Sounds

International rugby is back, and so is the Ireland Rugby Social podcast!

Former Ireland scrum-half Conor Murray joins Gavin Andrews, and they've already recorded the first episode of the autumn with two-time British and Irish Lion Jack Conan.

The lads will also be recording an episode after the full-time whistle to give their thoughts on tonight's game.

You can check them all out on BBC Sounds.

Image source, Inpho

New kit, who dis?

Ireland will wear their new home jersey this evening, with darker green on the sleeves and flashes of what I'm going to say is a lime colour.

It's being beautifully modelled by Dan Sheehan and Hugo Keenan here, but what do you make of Ireland's new kit?

Image source, Getty Images

Ireland captain Dan Sheehan says he has "full confidence" in his team-mates as he dismissed talk of a decline in Irish rugby as "nonsense".

Andy Farrell's side sit third in the world rankings, but a string of double-digit losses to South Africa, New Zealand and France have raised question marks about the team's trajectory.

Farrell this week admitted his team are not yet ready to have realistic ambitions of winning next year's World Cup in Australia.

But before facing Argentina, Fiji and world champions South Africa at home in this month's Nations Championship fixtures, Sheehan insisted Ireland must "fully back ourselves".

"I've full confidence in this group," said Sheehan, who is again deputising for injured skipper Caelan Doris this month.

"I think reminding myself and the group of the quality we have...sometimes you can hear outside noise about, 'is this a transitioning time for Irish rugby?' or 'is this a decline in Irish rugby?' and I think it's all nonsense really.

"Making sure we keep our confidence in what we have, in the personnel we have, the coaches we have in the group, it's all set up perfectly for us. I think it's just doubling down on our work ethic and making sure we fully back ourselves."

Image source, Getty Images

Sean Jansen says he is relishing a "massive opportunity" to prove he can be Ireland's long-term starting number eight as he prepares for his home debut against Argentina.

With Caelan Doris and Jack Conan out injured, Jansen has been selected to start in tonight's Nations Championship fixture with the Pumas.

While squad captain Doris and two-time British and Irish Lion Conan are ahead of him in the pecking order, the 27-year-old Connacht back row is backing himself to become a regular presence in Andy Farrell's team in the lead-up to next year's Rugby World Cup.

"It's a massive opportunity for me," said New Zealand-born Jansen.

"I know that and I just can't wait to hopefully get out there and show what I've got and prove why I'm there.

"It was awesome to get my debut in the summer but I'm climbing higher. I want to put myself on the front foot to be that starting eight."

Ireland Rugby

Nick Timoney, Craig Casey and Sean Jansen will start for Ireland, with Jamison Gibson-Park and Josh van der Flier on the bench at Aviva Stadium.

With captain Caelan Doris and two-tour British and Irish Lion Jack Conan missing through injury, Connacht's Jansen always seemed the most likely to fill in at number eight for head coach Andy Farrell.

With Garry Ringrose ruled out because of a hamstring problem, the experienced Robbie Henshaw will wear the 13 jersey, forming a midfield partnership with Stuart McCloskey.

Wing Mack Hansen, prop Andrew Porter and Ryan Baird all start, having not featured for Ireland since the defeat by South Africa in November 2025.

There's a late change to Ireland's team as Jamie Osborne comes in on the bench for Bundee Aki, who is ill and misses out.

All three missed the Six Nations and summer fixtures in the Nations Championship through injury.

Ireland: Hugo Keenan; Robert Baloucoune, Robbie Henshaw, Stuart McCloskey, Mack Hansen; Sam Prendergast, Craig Casey; Andrew Porter, Dan Sheehan (capt), Tadhg Furlong; Joe McCarthy, Tadhg Beirne; Ryan Baird, Nick Timoney, Sean Jansen.

Replacements: Ronan Kelleher, Tom O'Toole, Sam Illo, James Ryan, Josh van der Flier, Jamison Gibson-Park, Ciaran Frawley or Jamie Benson, Jamie Osbornei.

Jonathan Bradley
BBC Sport NI senior journalist

Image source, Getty Images

Back when Michael Cheika was Felipe Contepomi's head coach at Leinster two decades ago, did the former Argentina boss believe his immediate successor with the Pumas would go on to have such a successful post-playing career?

"No, I didn't," he says without missing a beat.

The pair overlapped for four seasons in Dublin, building towards the province's first Heineken Cup in 2009 before the fly-half departed for Toulon that summer having missed the final through injury.

At a time when he was keeping a young Johnny Sexton out of the 10 jersey, Contepomi was a talisman during what was a foundational spell in the club's history.

Conversely, it was such abundant talent that made Cheika doubt his then fly-half's future lay in coaching.

"He was obviously a highly-skilled player and you know what they say about some of the best players? They don't make the greatest coaches because they think everyone can do what they could do and they actually can't."

Thirteen years after their paths diverged, and after Contepomi had spent four seasons as Leinster's attack coach, Cheika was bringing his former player into the Pumas set-up as his assistant. What changed in the intervening years?

"Felipe is different, right?" says Cheika of the man who brings his Argentina team to face Ireland in Dublin on Friday night.

"He's come into coaching raw and has had to take a step back, go and self-reflect on how much he really wants to do that. He went to Leinster and learnt his craft properly there with some good coaches around him in a team and an environment that he felt absolutely comfortable in.

"He understood what he had to do to become a quality coach first up and then a head coach, which is different to just being a coach as well."

Argentina

Argentina boss Felipe Contepomi has made 12 changes from the side that drew 28-28 with Australia in September as Los Pumas seek a first away win over Ireland.

Toulouse full-back Juan Cruz Mallia returns to win a first cap since November 2025 after injury.

Argentina: Juan Cruz Mallia; Bautista Delguy, Justo Piccardo, Santiago Chocobares, Mateo Carreras; Tomas Albornoz, Gonzalo Garcia; Boris Wenger, Julian Montoya (capt), Francisco Moreno; Guido Petti, Pedro Rubiolo; Juan Martin Gonzalez, Marcos Kremer, Pablo Matera.

Replacements: Leonel Oviedo, Mayco Vivas, Joel Sclavi, Efrain Elias, Juan Martin Scelzo, Simon Benitez Cruz, Geronimo Prisciantelli, Lucio Cinti.

Fans from both sides have wrapped up well for this one tonight!

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

Matt Gault
BBC Sport NI senior journalist

Image source, Getty Images

Ireland head coach Andy Farrell says he is ready to tackle another challenging journey as he admitted his squad must improve before they can harbour realistic aspirations of winning next year's Rugby World Cup.

While Ireland have won six out of eight Tests in 2026, humbling defeats by France and New Zealand served as reminders of the level they must reach.

With world champions South Africa visiting Dublin during a busy November that also includes home matches against Argentina and Fiji and a Nations Championship finals fixture at Twickenham's Allianz Stadium, Farrell says his players are prepared to push themselves in pursuit of the ultimate prize in Australia next year.

"The obvious thing and the boring thing to say is every area," Farrell said when asked where his side could improve.

"We're a pretty good team, you know, so recognising that to sort of grow from being a decent team or a good team in the first place is pretty hard to do. You've got to have ambition to do that, the hunger to do that."

Farrell added: "What's coming in 12 months' time, I think if we're honest with ourselves, where we are right now, is that good enough to board the plane believing that 100% we've a chance to win the World Cup?

"I don't think so, but that excites me more than anything for what's coming up in the next 12 months. I see a group that's ready for the next challenge which is to ask themselves questions, where it is that they want to go to individually and as a collective.

"It's something I think that's very hard to see because we've got to go past a lot of people's ceilings to do that, but if you can't get excited about that then you're in the wrong place."