Ireland have overcome Felipe Contempomi's Argentina 22-19 after a nail-biting clash in the Aviva Stadium.
While Argentina crossed the whitewash first, their stricken-off try was quickly met with tries from Jack Crowley and Mack Hansen that catapulted Ireland 12-0 up after just six minutes. However, it wasn't long before Ireland's ill-discipline would gift Argentina a pair of penalties and a gateway back into the game.
Despite the gateway, Argentina could muster only three more points compared to Ireland's ten, leaving Ireland heading down the tunnel with a healthy thirteen-point lead.
Unfortunately for Andy Farrell, the same old problems reared their head and Argentina wasted no time playing their way back into the game, opening the second half with a well-worked try, before capitalising on Ireland's discipline with a further three points that made it a one-score game heading down the stretch.
Thankfully, Ireland would hold on - and there was a major bright spark in the second period with the hugely exciting test debut of Sam Prendergast"
Despite both sides having their share of chances to finish out their opposition, an unconvincing Ireland would eventually prevail thanks to a last-ditch poach on their own five-metre line.
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Sam Prendergast hailed as 'Sexton-Esque'
While Ireland's performance may have been far from perfect, the game did feature two test debuts as both Thomas Clarkson and Sam Prendergast made their first foray into international rugby.
While Clarkson couldn't be faulted against a fierce Argentinian scrum, it was his provincial teammate Sam Prendergast who stole the headlines, making a pronounced mark on the game at a time when Ireland were beginning to lose control.
Speaking on Virgin Media after the clash, Ireland legend Shane Horgan hailed the hotshot's performance as 'Sexton-Esque', celebrating the strong decision-making Prendergast brought to the affair.
I love that, it's Sexton-Esque, he caught the ball underneath his left shoulder and is ready to pull the trigger at exactly the right moment and he chose the right moment more often that not.
Rob Kearney wasn't short of applause for Prendergast himself, identifying Prendergast's ability to carry the ball to the gain line and extend the opposition's defence as a skill only the best out halves had.
They can't push across, they don't know where the ball is going, it's small but it's what seperates the good from the great outhalves.
While Prendergast only made a twenty-minute foray into Friday's clash with Argentina, if Horgan and Kearney's comments are anything to go by the Leinster man could have a bright future driving Ireland's attack.
A bright future we should get a much clearer picture of next week when Ireland take on Fiji in the Aviva Stadium, a game in which Sam Prendergast will be expecting to see plenty more action.
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