Best urges discipline against Pumas

Stand-in Ireland captain Simon Best is confident that his side can wipe out the indiscipline they felt cost them the game against…

Stand-in Ireland captain Simon Best is confident that his side can wipe out the indiscipline they felt cost them the game against Argentina in Santa Fe last weekend.

Ireland meet their hosts in Buenos Aires this Saturday and, according to Best, the relatively inexperienced team is well versed on do's and dont's of Test rugby this time round.

"I think the biggest lesson is that we have to concentrate on more discipline, because we know we cannot afford giving away the same number of penalties, or we'll lose the game as we did on Saturday," the Ulster prop said.

"Discipline is something we should show as an Irish squad and Saturday was hopefully an exception."

READ MORE

Best captained Ireland for the first time ever in his career and will have another opportunity in this the last game of the Argentina tour.

"It's great to be starting another Test match," said the Belfast Harlequins prop. "We are happy with how the pack went on Saturday, we had a pretty good game at set-pieces and the back row also played very well.

"This is another opportunity to show what we can do."

The game at the Estadio Jose Amalfitani will be the last opportunity for most players to prove to Eddie O'Sullivan that they should be included in the squad for the World Cup in France next September.

Ireland will use a very different line-up to the one in Santa Fe, with 11 personnel changes and one positional switch - Best being one of the few players in both Tests.

Rugby league convert Brian Carney is another. The munster winger will have another chance to impress after scoring in the first Test because of injuries to the Ulster pair of Tommy Bowe and Andrew Trimble.

The captain believes the use of so many different players will benefit Ireland. "The Pumas will work harder and will improve, so I think it's important that we do the same," said Best.

"We've made quite a few changes and that means the team will hopefully bring the same enthusiasm we did last week.

"If we do that again I think we can win it."

The match kicks off in the Estadio Jose Amalfitani, Velez Sarsfield, at 8.10pm Irish time.

Ireland squad to face Argentina

15 - Geordan Murphy Leicester 47

14 - Brian Carney Clonakilty/Munster 1

13 - Barry Murphy U.L. Bohemians/Munster 1

12 - Gavin Duffy Galwegians/Connacht 5

11 - Rob Kearney UCD/Leinster 0

10 - Jeremy Staunton Wasps 4

9 - Eoin Reddan Wasps 1

1 - Bryan Young Ballymena/Ulster 6

2 - Frankie Sheahan Cork Constitution/Munster 27

3 - Simon Best (Captain) Belfast Harlequins/Ulster 17

4 - Leo Cullen Leicester 18

5 - Mick O'Driscoll Cork Constitution/Munster 10

6 - Alan Quinlan Shannon/Munster 23

7 - Shane Jennings Leicester 0

8 - Stephen Ferris Dungannon/Ulster 2

Replacements:

16 - Bernard Jackman Clontarf/Leinster 3

17 - Tony Buckley Shannon/Munster 1

18 - Malcolm O'Kelly St. Mary's College/Leinster 84

19 - Neil Best Belfast Harlequins/Ulster 11

20 - Isaac Boss Ballymena/Ulster 8

21 - Kieran Lewis St.Mary's College/Leinster 2

22 - Luke Fitzgerald Blackrock College/Leinster 1

Not considered due to injury:

Tommy Bowe {shoulder}

Andrew Trimble {ankle}