Ireland ... 16 Argentina ... 7: If ever a non-competitive Test match had to be won 1-0, this was it. Conditions - and that pitch - decreed there could be no other outcome. Ireland, and specifically the pack, stuck to both their gameplan and the bar of soap better than the Argentinians, and got the job done.

One of the little ironies of Saturday's game was that, in theory, the conditions should have suited the traditional scrummaging and mauling strengths of the seasoned Puma pack, but in practice they are not used to them and, perhaps, were even a little freaked by them.

Ireland would have preferred a dryer day, or at any rate a pitch resembling something befitting Test match rugby in the 21st century. Instead, left with no choice, they rolled up their sleeves and got down and dirty in a reprise of the Australian performance. It wasn't a day for individuals to shine.

Ultimately, it was quite a feather in the pack's cap, as they outmuscled the renowned Puma eight. They drew a line in the - submerged - sand when they shunted the Pumas off their first put-in, and for all Agustin Pichot's blinkered comments about the Pumas' "dominating" the scrums, thereafter scrummaged cutely.

Luring the opposition into conceding penalties at scrum time is part of the game now, whether by letting the Pumas follow through on the hit before the put-in, or by letting Mauricio Reggiardo apparently bring it down. When they needed to, they scrummaged strongly and, while it was bloody hard work, they seemed quite comfortable.

The homework done on the line-outs was even more productive. Study of the video revealed that the Pumas had only two defensive options, and that they rarely contested the tail. Shane Byrne, whose darts have been locating treble 20 all season, regularly found an uncontested Victor Costello or Malcolm O'Kelly, from which they outmauled the Pumas.

Ireland's policy of contesting every Puma throw reaped a rich dividend, not just in the half-dozen throws the awesome O'Kelly and Co stole, but also by forcing the Pumas to frequently scratch for less productive, flapped balls at the front.

They also defended the famed Argentinian mauls intelligently, keeping one player out on either side to legally bring down any attempted mauls or drives off the fringes.

Playing against the wind, the rain and the tide, Ireland initially struggled for territory thanks in the main to five missed kicks for touch; the breeze was particularly stiff along the East Stand.

But ever alert to the Pumas' counter-attacking threat, their kick-and-chase game was studiously well-rehearsed. A prime example was the 12th-minute follow-up to O'Gara's line kick. Gonzalo Camardon, too casual altogether, fed Felipe Contepomi infield. The industrious Kevin Maggs led the green charge and when the full back stepped away from him he was engulfed by Keith Gleeson, O'Kelly and Justin Bishop, playing like a specialist back row.

The defending in general was excellent and this has been one of the most significant planks of Ireland's productive November. The tackling close in especially was top notch. Granted, Ireland haven't been tested that much out wide over more than four or five phases, but still the team's belief in the system has taken a quantum leap.

Importantly, everybody mucked in: compare and contrast the work-rate of the respective wingers. And, as in his one-on-one with Matt Burke, once again Girvan Dempsey's acute positional radar and steadiness when set against Ignacio Corleto was a huge factor in the win.

Little wonder captain Brian O'Driscoll went to such lengths in singing Dempsey's praises. As a goalkeeper such as, say, Peter Schmeichel could in his pomp, Dempsey's rock-solid presence at the back pumps confidence through his team-mates. Before their barbecue on Wednesday, the Pumas had spent the training session almost entirely on their kicking game. Meat and drink to Mr Dependable.

When compared to Dempsey's five stunning aerial gathers under a wave of advancing Pumas, Corleto's inability to gather O'Driscoll's steepling garryowen enabled Dempsey to pounce for the opening try.

There were no such gimmes for Argentina, even if their equalising try was a comedy of errors. After an initial "after you" between Dempsey and Shane Horgan, the overstretched winger couldn't gather a Contepomi kick through. Honest, well-reared boy that he is, Horgan admits to having touched the ball.

Dempsey clearly didn't think so as he ushered the ball over the touchline, but, more to the point, touch judge Gilulio di Santis (replacing Nigel Whitehouse) did not signal an Argentinian throw, but instead held his flag in his right hand.

Colin White, who's had better games, seemed to take his eye off the ball as Diego Albanese took a quick throw for Rolando Martin to claim his 20th international try in 76 Tests - a phenomenal return for a flanker.

So White was left to take his cue from the flustered di Santis, and the recourse to a video referee was merely to confirm where the conversion should be taken from, as the officials couldn't remember where Martin had touched it down.

For all the high farce, it had been a collective lapse in concentration by the Irish players.

In any event, the Irish maul earned penalties either side of the break, as the rain abated for the second-half.

There was nowt else for it aside from solid set pieces and territory. Even the Peter Stringer-Ronan O'Gara axis couldn't guarantee safe hands, so Ireland resorted to nine-man rugby, with the scrum-half putting his box kicks and grubbers on the money.

The Pumas were livid about the 19-12 penalty count, but they also lost their composure, and Contepomi's petulant antics after blatantly killing ball conceded an extra 10 metres which O'Gara took full advantage of with the insurance three-pointer.

Ten from ten in two November Tests, on that pitch. He should take up water polo