Best And O'Brien Return For Ireland's Pumas Test

Six Nations Grand Slam winning captain Rory Best and injury-prone flanker Sean O'Brien earned recalls from head coach Joe Schmidt to Ireland's starting XV for Saturday's one-off Test with Argentina.

Maynooth, Ireland, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 8th Nov, 2018 ) :Six Nations Grand Slam winning captain Rory Best and injury-prone flanker Sean O'Brien earned recalls from head coach Joe Schmidt to Ireland's starting XV for Saturday's one-off Test with Argentina.

Grizzled hooker Best, 36, returns after missing the 2-1 Test series win in Australia with a hamstring problem while O'Brien sat out both the Six Nations and the tour Down Under with respective hip and shoulder injuries.

"He (O'Brien) has brought a lot of experience into the group after a tough time with injuries," said prop Tadhg Furlong at a press conference.

"He has the leadership skills and has taken no time to shouting orders in his high-pitched voice." Despite Luke McGrath impressing in the 54-7 victory over Italy in Chicago last Saturday it is the more experienced Kieran Marmion who starts at scrum-half alongside star fly-half Jonathan Sexton.

Sexton's regular half-back partner Conor Murray has not been selected thanks to a neck injury that has prevented him from playing this season.

"He (Marmion) is the experienced guy," said Schmidt.

"He is the guy who stepped in for Conor (Murray) two years ago two days before the England game (Ireland won in Dublin to deny the English the Grand Slam).

"He is a great little player for us." With an eye on the mouth-watering clash with world champions New Zealand on Saturday week, Schmidt has restored most of the team that clinched the Grand Slam at Twickenham earlier this year, although fullback Rob Kearney is absent because of a shoulder injury.

Jordan Larmour retains the starting spot in that position after a barn-storming, three-try performance against the Italians.

"This is very much a step up for him," said Schmidt.

"He has gained in confidence on the back of his performances coming on as a replacement in the match with England earlier this year and the third Test against Australia.

"He acquitted himself very well last week." The hosts will be looking for a confidence-boosting victory ahead of the All Blacks clash over a Pumas side that emerged from The Rugby Championship with two victories -- including their first in Australia since 1983.

Argentina coach Mario Ledesma named his side ahead of a match the South Americans have often performed in. They have proved a thorn in Ireland's side on several occasions in the World Cup, most recently in the 2015 quarter-finals.

However they came out on the wrong side of a 28-19 defeat at Lansdowne Road in November last year.

The Irish will be especially wary of the trio of fullback Emiliano Boffelli and dangerous wings Bautista Delguy and Ramiro Moyano. Boffelli and Delguy scored three tries apiece in the Rugby Championship.

Teams (15-1): Ireland Jordan Larmour; Keith Earls, Robbie Henshaw, Bundee Aki, Jacob Stockdale; Jonathan Sexton, Kieran Marmion; CJ Stander, Sean O'Brien, Peter O'Mahony; James Ryan, Iain Henderson; Tadhg Furlong, Rory Best (capt), Cian Healy Replacements: Sean Cronin, Jack McGrath, Andrew Porter, Devin Toner, Dan Leavy, Luke McGrath, Joey Carbery, Andrew Conway Coach: Joe Schmidt (NZL) Argentina Emiliano Boffelli; Bautista Delguy, Matias Orlando, Jeronimo De La Fuente, Ramiro Moyano; Nicolas Sanchez, Tomas Cubelli; Javier Ortega Desio, Guido Petti, Pablo Matera (capt); Tomas Lavanini, Matias Alemanno; Santiago Medrano, Agustin Creevy, Santiago Garcia BottaReplacements: Julian Montoya, Juan Pablo Zeiss, Lucio Sordoni, Rodrigo Bruni, Tomas Lezana, Gonzalo Bertranou, Joaquin Diaz Bonilla, Matas MoroniCoach: Mario Ledesma (ARG)