Ireland opened their autumn Nations Championship series with a 42-12 victory over Argentina at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin on Friday night, scoring six tries in the process.
Hugo Keenan made the biggest contribution to the win, scoring a hat-trick of tries. Former Irish scrum-half Conor Murray, appearing on the Ireland Rugby Social podcast, stated that Keenan again looks to be at the peak of his abilities.
The match was also the first major start in the opening XV for Sam Prendergast and Craig Casey. Murray assessed that the pair controlled the game very well, noting that Prendergast appeared to have gained some physical mass. Casey’s passing, he added, was precise, and his kicking was of the highest standard.
Murray also praised Tadhg Furlong, saying he played very well, while Andrew Porter returned after a long absence due to injury. He highlighted that Nick Timoney and Josh van der Flier are in a genuine battle for the number seven jersey.
According to Murray, the depth Ireland now possesses is truly impressive, and Irish rugby is moving from strength to strength. He expects Ireland to beat Fiji, while everyone wants to be involved in the match against South Africa.
Gavin Andrews of BBC Sport NI spoke to Irish second row Joe McCarthy. Ireland will play against Fiji and South Africa over the coming weeks.
