Under-21 World Cup/ Ireland 42 Argentina 20: Ireland provided the first real surprise of the Under-21 World Cup yesterday by beating fifth-ranked Argentina in a fifth-eighth play-off at Stade Louis Darragon. Victory earned Ireland a place in Sunday's fifth-place play-off against England, who beat Wales 13-11 yesterday.

Ireland went ahead courtesy of a carbon-copy try of their opening score in Cournon last week. Kieran Hallett pushed the ball wide from the game's third ruck and when Tom Gleeson presented the ball inside, Fergus McFadden crossed. Hallett converted and, after a shaky start kicking from hand, started to dictate. When he forced the Pumas to touch down behind their own line, Ireland won the scrum and Hallett kicked the penalty that followed an offside decision.

Santiago Fernandez missed a penalty on 27 minutes to further frustrate Argentina, but when Ireland drove a lineout 20 metres before giving the ball away three metres short, the Pumas broke and Fernandez got a chance to reduce the arrears when Ireland were caught with hands in a ruck. This time he made no mistake.

Hallett restored the 10-point lead with a penalty a minute before the interval, but when they knocked on from a tapped penalty on their 22 three minutes after the break, Ireland wheeled the scrum and allowed Benjamin Macome in for a try. Fernandez failed to convert.

Spurred on by growing self-belief, Ireland struck within three minutes when a ricochet off an Argentinian landed in the hands of hooker Seán Cronin, who dived in for a try. Hallett again converted.

A third penalty for Hallett increased the lead to 23-8, but Argentina were not finished as scrumhalf Francisco Albarracin crossed for a converted try. Hallett's try on the hour was cancelled out by one from Gonzalo Sarasqueta, but further tries from Hallett and replacement hooker Stuart Philpott made sure of a famous win.

IRELAND: F Carr; I Hanly, T Gleeson, F McFadden, M Williams; K Hallett, M D'Arcy; D Hurley, S Cronin, D Ryan; D McGowan, D Toner; M Essex, D Pollock (capt), S O'Brien. Replacements: C Black for Hurley, S Philpott for Cronin, D Laffan for Essex (all 70 mins).

ARGENTINA: G Sarasqueta; F Amelong, B Urdapilleta, M Fernandez Gill, F Meyrelles; S Fernandez, F Albarracin (capt); L Francisco Piccinini, M Cortese, P Ledesma; B Macome, A Smidth; A Creevy, J Manuel Roan, J Brinnand. Replacements: F Gomez Kodela for Piccinini (47 mins), J Avila for Ledesma (52 mins), F Angelinetti for Macome (54 mins), N Bruzone for Creevy (64 mins), A Figuerola for S Fernandez (76 mins), G Feijoo for Gill (77 mins).

Referee: T Hirabayashi (Japan).