Dublin (AFP) - Andy Farrell may have lost some key players but he has been able to select star duo Mack Hansen and Hugo Keenan after long injury absences for Friday’s Nations Championship Test with Argentina at Lansdowne Road.

Experienced prop Andrew Porter and back row forward Ryan Baird, who like livewire wing Hansen and fullback Keenan, missed Ireland’s Six Nations Triple Crown campaign, also return to the starting XV.

It has been a long road back for Keenan, who was out of action for last year’s November Tests and Hansen last played in the final one of those matches, the defeat by world champions South Africa.

“It’s fantastic to have Mack back, first of all for himself, really,” said Farrell.

“He’s been through a lot, and it’s great to have not just his ability as a player but to have his personality back in the group.”

The quartet’s return is some consolation for the absences of several key players from the Triple Crown campaign, captain Caelan Doris, back rower Jack Conan, centre Garry Ringrose and fly-half Jack Crowley.

Hooker Dan Sheehan captains the side as they bid to preserve their record of having beaten Argentina in all 11 previous home Tests.

Crowley had appeared to have finally resolved Ireland’s major headache in filling the vacuum left by legend Johnny Sexton’s retirement but a rare case of a narrowing of a blood vessel in a leg has kept him on the sidelines since April.

Sam Prendergast is entrusted with the fly-half spot, though Farrell has sprung a bit of a surprise in selecting Crowley’s Munster teammate Craig Casey at scrum-half instead of regular choice Jamison Gibson-Park.

“Craig deserves to play in a big game at the start of the season, to have the responsibility to be in charge of the week and how they go about that and take responsibility for how we play on Friday,” said Farrell.

“We need him to be able to have the opportunity to do that.”

Earlier Argentina coach Felipe Contepomi urged his side to “get better” after he made 12 changes to the starting line-up from the one that drew with Australia in September.

Prop Boris Wenger and experienced forwards Guido Petti and Pablo Matera are the only three who keep their place from the 28-28 draw with the Wallabies in Argentina.

Contepomi is able to call on livewire fullback Juan Cruz Mallia for the first time in almost a year. The Toulouse star ruptured knee ligaments in his right knee after a late tackle by England’s Tom Curry.

- ‘Better consistency’ -

Contepomi, who is no stranger to Ireland having had a hugely successful stint playing for Leinster from 2003-09, said his goal for the upcoming three Tests – they also play Italy and France – is to be a more polished unit.

Discipline too will be key as the Pumas’ chances of beating the Wallabies to level the two-Test series were ruined by being reduced to 13 men for the final 10 minutes.

Contepomi, who got the better of Farrell in Dublin when the Pumas beat the British and Irish Lions in 2025, said one year out from the Rugby World Cup it would be a great barometer of where they stood.

“We need to get better consistency, do what we say we are going to do and try to impose the way we want to play rugby,” said Contepomi.

Both Ireland and Argentina are fourth in their respective northern and southern hemisphere tables in a tournament that climaxes with the finals weekend at Twickenham at the end of the month.

Teams (15-1)

Ireland

Hugo Keenan; Rob Baloucoune, Robbie Henshaw, Stuart McCloskey, Mack Hansen; Sam Prendergast, Craig Casey; Sean Jansen, Nick Timoney, Ryan Baird; Tadhg Beirne, Joe McCarthy; Tadhg Furlong, Dan Sheehan (capt), Andrew Porter

Replacements: Ronan Kelleher, Tom O’Toole, Sam Illo, James Ryan, Josh van der Flier, Jamison Gibson-Park, Ciaran Frawley, Bundee Aki

Coach: Andy Farrell (ENG)

Argentina

Juan Cruz Mallia; Bautista Delguy, Justo Piccardo, Santiago Chocobares, Mateo Carreras; Tomas Albornoz, Gonzalo Garcia; Pablo Matera, Marcos Kremer, Juan Martin Gonzalez; Pedro Rubiolo, Guido Petti; Francisco Moreno, Julian Montoya (capt), Boris Wenger

Replacements: Leonel Oviedo, Mayco Vivas, Joel Sclavi, Efrain Elias, Juan Martin Scelzo, Simon Benitez Cruz, Geronimo Prisciantelli, Lucio Cinti

Coach: Felipe Contepomi (ARG)

Referee: Luke Pearce (ENG)