Ireland lead Argentina 13-0 at half-time

Two tries by Jacob Stockdale helped Ireland beat Argentina 28-19 in their one-off rugby union Test at Lansdowne Road on Saturday to record their seventh successive win.

The 21-year-old wing -- who scored a try in the opening November Test victory over South Africa -- scored a try in each half to leave Argentina still seeking a first win in Ireland in eight visits.

The Pumas, though, could look back on a stirring second-half performance, having trailed 20-0 after 42 minutes, in which they scored three tries.

Agustin Creevy, captaining the Pumas for the 40th time, was penalised for going in on the side and Johnny Sexton, who had to fall out of the line during the anthems and receive treatment, slotted over the penalty to give Ireland the lead in the fourth minute.

Sexton added another penalty as the quarter hour approached and with the visitors unable to get out of their half.

Sexton had seemingly shaken off any fitness worries as he was at the heart of the hosts' try, bursting through the Pumas line -- after a superb offload by Chris Farrell -- and then passed to Stockdale who ran in under the posts for his second try of the series having scored against South Africa.

Sexton converted for 13-0.

Sexton and Stockdale combined again to devastating effect two minutes into the second-half, the former's pass being seized on by the young wing who broke through the centre of the Pumas line and outpaced the defence to touch don in the corner.

Sexton converted brilliantly from the touchline for 20-0.

The Pumas though didn't drop their shoulders but came back strongly and deservedly scored a try in the 55th minute Joaquin Tuculet running on to Nicolas Sanchez's clever grubber kick -- the creator then converting to pass the 600 point mark in Test rugby.

Ireland, though, pulled themselves together and Sexton boldly kicked to the corner off a penalty paying off as from the ensuing line out the Irish pack drove to the line and Stander touched down sparking some pushing and shoving with French referee Mathieu Raynal telling both sets of players to grow up and behave.

Sexton's perfect day was slightly blemished when his conversion came back off the post.

The Pumas battled away and didn't look like a side that was looking forward to a deserved holiday as veteran Juan Manuel Leguizamon, found by Tuculet, went in in the corner for their second try with 10 minutes remaining -- Sanchez failed to convert.

Sexton ended any hopes of a late rally as he went for goal with a penalty and slotted it over before trotting off with his day's work done.

The Pumas had the final laugh as another clever kick by Sanchez into the Irish try area saw Ramiro Moyano touch down and the metronomic Sanchez converted the extras.

The match was preceded by a minute's silence for the 44 crew members from the Argentinian submarine San Juan which went missing 10 days ago.

Argentina coach Daniel Hourcade said of the tribute: "For us it was a very important way of supporting the families.

"It's a really hard moment they are experiencing. The passion the players showed it was part of that emotion."

Source: AFP