British & Irish Lions 24-28 Argentina result - Los Pumas spoil Maro Itoje and co's leaving party in Dublin

Argentina completed a memorable victory over the British & Irish Lions, as Andy Farrell’s side started their 2025 summer with a defeat.

Los Pumas scored two fantastic tries in the first half to lead 21-10 at the break and, despite a fightback from the Lions at the start of the second half, managed to secure the victory thanks to Santiago Cordero's try.  

The Lions now head to Perth as they continue preparations for their first Test against Australia on July 19.       

Argentina scored the first try of the match to stun the Aviva Stadium, who were excited to watch the first Lions match in Ireland.

However, Ignacio Mendy did not care about that, scoring in the corner after some brilliant work from Santi Carreras in the midfield.

Luke Cowan-Dickie and Sione Tuipulotu both thought they had levelled things up just minutes later, but following TMO reviews, the referee decided there were knock-ons during both scores.

Bundee Aki’s try in the 19th minute did count though, and it showed promising signs for the tour, as the Lions worked the ball brilliantly to the Irish centre.

However, the Lions’ try did not dampen Argentine spirits, as they extended their lead with a brilliant breakaway try right at the end of the first half through Tomas Albornoz.

The Lions thought they had a chance to score, but Los Pumas stole the ball and ran from deep, before Carreras found Albornoz to score underneath the posts.

Argentina’s dominance did not last long, as Farrell’s side were awarded a penalty try after Mayco Vivas dragged a maul to the floor right on the try-line.

Vivas was awarded a yellow card for further punishment and the Lions wasted no time capitalising on that, with Tadhg Beirne walking over to score.

Ellis Genge produced a brilliant breakaway to give the Lions good field position, before Tomos Williams fed Beirne to score.

With Vivas back on the pitch, Argentina fought back with venom. Henry Pollock missed a tackle on Albornoz and the visitors were away, with Cordero latching on to a grubber kick to score in the corner.

The Lions fought hard in the last 15 minutes, but Los Pumas fought hard to hold on and secure an excellent win in Dublin.

"We have plenty of games ahead of us that will be tough, so we need to take the learnings from tonight.

"I thought our cohesiveness was good in different parts of the game and that we put a few phases together.

"The more we train together, the better we will get, but we have to learn quickly, but we will make sure we do that.

"We are going to enjoy our time tonight with our friends and family before we go away for a long time, but we will quickly look ahead to next Saturday.

"We have nine games to go, we will learn quickly and bounce back. I know the Lions supporters will be behind us, and we will give them something to shout about," said Bundee Aki to Sky Sports.

"We are not making any excuses, Argentina are a good outfit. They scored from nearly every turnover, and we didn’t take enough of our chances.

"I think we fought back well in the second half. Andy Farrell challenged us at half-time to show what it means to be a Lion.

"When it gets hard you have to push to another level, which we did in some parts of the game and not in other parts.

"Tonight shows we have to go from the off. To play a good side like Argentina shows where we are as a group, and we can only get better from here," said Bundee Aki to Sky Sports.

Premiership Rugby will see all 93 matches – including the Gallagher Premiership Rugby play-offs and final – on TNT Sports and discovery+. TNT Sports and discovery+ will also continue to broadcast select games from the Premiership Rugby Cup. 

TNT Sports and discovery+ will broadcast one Premiership Women’s Rugby match each weekend, as well as both semi-finals and the final.

"We are building, we would have liked to be firing and kicking off from the start, but we will live and get better.

"I think we will be better from this. Argentina showed us where we were lacking and we had a hard-fought game and now we know exactly where we are.

"The message to the team will be to live and learn, this is day one and our first game. There were glimmers of what we can do, we have great players, but we need to be more cohesive.

"The fans gave us a glimmer of what we can expect in Australia, so thank you for that, we adore you," said Itoje to Sky Sports.

"We were not as consistent as we would have liked. I think we showed glimmers of what we could do, but we let them off and Argentina caught us slipping at times.

"When we were on it we looked good, but we need to do it more consistently.

"When we were direct we were awesome, when we were on the front foot and playing direct, but I think at times we were playing tippy-tappy football and that’s not what we want to be. We want to be an aggressive team," said Maro Itoje to Sky Sports.

Despite some brilliant moments, the British & Irish Lions were beaten 28-24 by Argentina at Aviva Stadium in Dublin.

This was the team's final match before they head out to Australia for the start of their tour and there were plenty of positives and negatives to takeaway for head coach Andy Farrell.

Los Pumas had much the better of the first half and produced two brilliant tries to go into the break with a 21-10 lead.

Despite the Lions fighting back at the start of the second half through a penalty try and a score from Tadhg Beirne, Argentina won the game through a brilliant Santiago Cordero try.

There were some fantastic moves from the backs and the likes of Tommy Freeman, Bundee Aki and Sione Tuipulotu, but they consistently dropped the ball at the wrong moment.

Both Luke Cowan-Dickie and Tuipulotu both saw tries disallowed for knock-on's in the build up, much to the frustration of the Aviva Stadium crowd.

It was to be expected that there would be teething problems with players coming together from four different nations and what played out was exactly that.

Although Andy Farrell and his players will be frustrated, the nature of the match and the defeat will benefit them immensely ahead of the tour of Australia.

After another week of training, the Lions should look more in unison when they face Western Force next Saturday.

Argentina win the 1888 Cup and deservedly so! Rodrigo Isgro steals the ball and kicks it into touch and the Aviva Stadium is silenced.

That was a brilliant performance from Los Pumas and a brilliant game of rugby.

The Lions will hurt tonight, but that will do them the world of good in the long run.

Argentina are penalised for a head-on-head collision and the Lions kick to the corner.

Can the hosts find a last gasp winner?

The Lions think they have a penalty in front of the posts, but the TMO spots a dangerous clear out by Beirne and Argentina have the penalty.

The hosts have kicked to the corner following a penalty for kicking the ball out of Williams' hands.

Can they make the most of this chance?

Itoje is replaced by Scott Cummings.

The Lions' pressure is starting to build as we enter the last ten minutes of the match.

A penalty is awarded for a tackle off the ball on Marcus Smith and his namesake, Fin Smith, kicks the ball into the corner.

Vilas is replaced by Bautista Bernasconi for Argentina.

The hosts break through Marcus Smith and the ball is worked out to Tuipulotu, but the Scottish centre's pass is intercepted right at the key moment.

Agonosing.

Moroni is forced off for Argentina just minutes after coming on, due to a head injury.

Elliot Daly and Tadhg Furlong are on for the Lions, replacing Duhan van der Merwe and Finlay Bealham.

What a brilliant breakaway try from Argentina!

Pollock misses a tackle on Albornoz and the visitors convert through substitute Cordero in the corner after a fantastic grubber kick.

Marcus Smith thought he could get there first, but the pace of Cordero was too much and Argentina are back in front

Vivas is back from his ten minute sin-bin and Argentina could really do with him right now.

Matias Moroni replaces Lucio Cinti for the visitors.

Lions score and take the lead! Ellis Genge makes a brilliant break through the Argentine defense, before the ball is worked wide to Marcus Smith.

Substitute Williams picks out Tadhg Beirne with a brilliant pass and he walks over the line.

Fin Smith adds the extra points.