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The British and Irish Lions get their 2005 tour started on Friday, against Argentina under a Dublin summer sun.
The match gives Andy Farrell’s team a chance to lay down a marker as a collective and gives individuals an opportunity to make an early claim on a test-starting place.
However, they will be pushed hard by a Pumas team filled with players who Irish and UK fans will know well from the United Rugby Championship (URC), Gallagher Premiership, and Top 14.
It is the first time since 2005 that the sides have met. On that occasion Los Pumas – including current head coach Felipe Contepomi in the centre – were only pegged back with a last minute Jonny Wilkinson penalty that secured a 25-25 draw.
BRINGING THE SNARL
Tour captain Maro Itoje leads the side for the first time and will team up with Tadhg Beirne in the second row.
They are similar players, with huge work rates around the park, but the Irishman brings a bit more snarl which is always useful against Los Pumas.
There is a good chance that both will last the 80 minutes, with Beirne moving into the back row, and Scott Cummings coming on to bring a bite more grunt into the second row.
With Beirne in the back row, there will be a third out and out lineout option. Tom Curry is the most likely of the starting back row to jump, though Jac Morgan and Ben Earl have also been used as a lineout option.
BACKING BEALHAM
Finlay Bealham has the first shot at tighthead prop, and he will have an important role locking out the scrum against a Pumas pack who love nothing better than to shove.
He held his own in Ireland’s 22-19 win over Argentina in November, and while it wasn’t a particularly dominant display, he recovered from an early yellow card to go about his business solidly.
It is the type of display Farrell would be happy to see in Dublin. After all, he has already lost Zander Fagerson to injury, while Tadhg Furlong is on the bench and in need of some game time having not played since 3 May.
Australia have had their scrum concerns in the past, but they held their own in the Autumn Nations Series.
It means that Farrell will be hopeful that the Canberra-born Bealham can tick one positional concern off his list.
GOING HIGH, GOING HARD
Farrell’s first three-quarter line screams one thing above everything else. Power.
He has gone for a pair of hard running, hard tackling centres in Ireland’ s Bundee Aki and Scotland’s Sione Tuipulotu.
Both prefer the 12 channel, but Tuipulotu has played in the 13 channel as he will on Friday. Their lines of running will give the Pumas defence little time to rest, and they both enjoy a defensive set or two.
Outside them on the wings, England’s Tommy Freeman and Duhan van der Merwe, are tall, hard running guys.
As such, expect a fair bit of kick and chase, as Farrell’s men seek to win the aerial battle and use it as an attacking platform.
PUMAS ON THE PROWL
While Argentina haven’t played since November, we can still expect an impassioned performance from a team that won three and lost three in last year’s Rugby Championship.
The names are well known to European audiences. Julian Montoya captains the side from hooker six days after he ended five years with Leicester Tigers.
Santiago Carreras is on his way to Bath from Gloucester, flanker Juan Martin Gonzalez and centre Lucio Cinti play for Saracens, while Rodrigo Isgro is already a popular figure at Harlequins.
A lot rests with how flyhalf Tomas Albornoz plays. The Benetton fulcrum made the Argentine 10 shirts his own last season, and he has the all round game that can cause serious damage.
EMPTYING THE BENCH
Farrell will undoubtedly give his bench as much time as possible, depending on how the match is unfolding.
He will have few worries about replacing like for like, though he’ll likely be nervous as Furlong takes his first steps onto a field in over a month.
The bench also gives him the chance to mix and match. Elliot Daly could come on for Marcus Smith at fullback, for flyhalf Fin Smith with Marcus Smith moving forward to take over as flyhalf, or for either of the centres.
The same can’t be said for Contepomi’s bench.
Reserve hooker Bautista Bernasconi, second row Santiagos Grondona, and outside back Santiago Cordero all have plenty of experience in Europe’s leading leagues.
The other five are drawn from Super Rugby Americas and France’s ProD2, but don’t expect Contepomi to limit their minutes.
The next chance to really have a good look at them won’t come until they face Uruguay after their home tests against England when his Top 14 players will be back.
As such, there may be the chance for one or two of Argentina’s young guns to make a name for themselves, just as Contepomi and his teammates did in 2005.
British & Irish Lions Starting XV (1-15) Ellis Genge, Luke Cowan-Dickie, Finlay Bealham, Maro Itoje, Tadhg Beirne, Tom Curry, Jac Morgan, Ben Earl, Alex Mitchell, Fin Smith, Duhan van der Merwe, Bundee Aki, Sione Tuipulotu, Tommy Freeman, Marcus Smith
British & Irish Lions Replacements (16-23) Ronan Kelleher, Pierre Schoeman, Tadhg Furlong, Scott Cummings, Henry Pollock, Tomos Williams, Elliot Daly, Mack Hansen
Argentina Starting XV (1-15) Mayco Vivas, Julian Montoya, Joel Sclavi, Franco Molina, Pedro Rubiolo, Pablo Matera, Juan Martin Gonzalez, Joaquin Oviedo, Gonzalo Garcia, Tomas Albornoz, Ignacio Mendy, Justo Piccardo, Lucio Cinti Luna, Rodrigo Isgro, Santiago Carreras
Argentina Replacements (16-23) Bautista Bernasconi, Boris Wenger, Francisco Coria Marchetti, Santiago Grondona, Joaquin Moro, Simon Benitez Cruz, Matias Moroni, Santiago Cordero
