Ireland head coach Andy Farrell spoke to reporters in Dublin after naming his team for Friday's Nations Championship match against Argentina at Aviva Stadium.

Farrell made a couple of surprising calls, with Craig Casey and Nick Timoney starting at scrum-half and open-side flanker ahead of Jamison Gibson-Park and Josh van der Flier respectively.

Sam Prendergast is preferred to Ciaran Frawley at fly-half after shaking off a wrist injury, while Robbie Henshaw replaces the injured Garry Ringrose at outside centre.

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

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

On starting Casey: "Because Craig deserves to play in a big game at the start of the season and have the responsibility to be in charge of the week and how we go about and take responsibility for how we play on Friday.

"We need him to be able to have the opportunity to do that. Plus, he's been playing pretty well himself. He knows the competition is there but he's got the shirt so it's up to him along with his team-mates to make a good first impression."

On Timoney: "Certainly last year, I think he finally grabbed hold of the understanding of what he can bring and what international rugby is all about. We saw consistency within that.

"He brings a lot to, not just to our game, but in different positions as well. Look at our 23-man squad and we've got a decent bench as well, you know with James Ryan coming on and Bundee Aki.

"Nick gets the chance to wear the seven jersey for the first time and I'm sure Josh [van der Flier] will have something to do with that in the coming weeks as well."

On Sam Prendergast and Ciaran Frawley's form: "That's what players tend to do when they've got ambition over an off-season, have a word with themselves about how they wanted to look from the start.

"Those two guys have shown that they mean business this year and a few good man of the matches between the two of them as well, playing with a bit of freedom in their own minds and therefore started the season very well."

On the year ahead: "It's an exciting year, it's a year that means a lot to us because we want to grow our game and build the right belief for what's coming in 12 months' time (the World Cup) and there's no better way to start that 12-month journey than with a first game of the international season against a tough and respected opponent in Argentina."