Before The British & Irish Lions set off for their Tour of Australia, they are due to be given a roaring send-off by the crowd at Dublin’s Aviva Stadium when they take on Argentina in the 1888 Cup on June 20.

The Pumas are the world’s fifth-ranked team and will provide Andy Farrell’s charges with a tough assignment in what is the fabled touring side’s first-ever fixture on the Emerald Isle.

The clash is a great opportunity for the Lions to get game time under their belts before embarking on their journey Down Under.

But before the champagne can be smashed and ‘au revoir’ shouted, Argentina stand in the way of Maro Itoje and co, and getting past them will be no easy task.

Here’s everything you need to know about Argentina:

History

The history of the Argentine national side dates back to 1910 when they played their first-ever international match against the Lions.

It was on their 1965 Tour to South Africa that they became officially recognised, also picking up their Los Pumas nickname – due to a reporter mistaking the jaguar on the badge for a Puma – which they have retained ever since.

The South Americans have also taken part in every Rugby World Cup since the inaugural edition back in 1987, with their best result a third-place finish in 2007 when the tournament was hosted in France.

Argentina topped Pool D that year – which contained the hosts and Ireland – with a 100% record before downing Scotland in the quarter-finals.

READ MORE: The Lions Tour that led to the birth of Los Pumas

Their first ever semi-final appearance saw Argentina lose to eventual champions South Africa, but they bounced back to claim the bronze medal by beating France for a second time.

That performance proved a springboard for Argentine rugby, leading to inclusion in the Rugby Championship and they were back in the semi-finals once again in 2023 as the World Cup returned to France.

Previous Lions encounters

The two sides have played seven times during the Lions’ storied history with the touring side winning the first six of those games.

Their last encounter – coming in 2005 at Cardiff’s Millennium Stadium – finished as a 25-25 draw.

The Lions went on three tours to Argentina in the early 20th century. In 1910 and 1936, the touring side won the only Test match played play on the respective tours while they took the Test series 4-0 in 1927.

It would be 65 years until the Lions and the Pumas would meet again.

The Welsh capital played host to the tie as the men in blue and white almost claimed their first win over their counterparts in red, but a late Jonny Wilkinson penalty ensured the Lions’ unbeaten run against Argentina remained intact.

Coach - Felipe Contepomi

The 47-year-old started the last time Argentina and The British & Irish Lions played one another as part of a 15-year international career which saw him win 87 caps.

Contepomi, whose twin brother Manuel also played for Argentina, played in four Rugby World Cups for his country, captaining the side at the 2011 edition and was inducted into the World Rugby Hall of Fame in November 2017.

He is the second-highest points scorer for Argentina with 651 – which was a record at the time of his retirement.

The versatile former fly-half and centre had a successful career at club level too, winning the 2009 Heineken Cup with Leinster, before he moved into coaching in 2015 with Argentina XV.

Contepomi took charge of his first match as Argentina head coach in 2024, replacing Michael Cheika – his former boss at Leinster – having previously been an assistant coach with the national side, backs coach with his former Irish province and defence coach with Jaguares.

Star players

Julián Montoya – Hooker

The 31-year-old has been a stalwart of Argentina’s front row since making his international debut in 2014.

He has since gone onto amass 105 caps for his country and sits third on the all-time list of appearance holders.

Strong in the tackle and excellent in the scrum, Montoya leads by example and will provide the Lions with a stern test during set pieces.

During his captaincy, Montoya has overseen wins over New Zealand, Australia and South Africa, making him the only Argentinian skipper to have achieved that feat.

The experienced hooker has been playing his club rugby at Leicester Tigers since 2021 and won the Premiership during his first season at the club in the summer of 2022.

Santiago Carreras – Fly-half or full-back

The talismanic 27-year-old is often the source of a creative spark that can inspire Argentina into action, whether that is at fly-half or full-back.

The Córdoba-native’s speed of mind, alongside his game management and goal-kicking ability, will make him a chief threat, as demonstrated in last year’s Rugby Championship win over New Zealand, where he kicked a crucial 14 points.

Carreras has been in fine fettle for Gloucester when in Premiership action this season too, finishing as the league’s third-highest point scorer with 124.

Juan Martín González – Back row

An absolute freak of a physical specimen, González burst onto the scene at the age of just 20 for Argentina.

Following a move to London Irish, the Mendoza product enjoyed a breakthrough 2022, scoring four tries in the Rugby Championship including in the historic win away to the All Blacks.

He has since moved to Saracens where he has become a key member of the squad in North London, while his athleticism means that the Lions will have to be alert any time he gets his hands on the ball.

Argentina team to play The British & Irish Lions: Carreras; Isgro, Cinti, Piccardo, Mendy; Albornoz, Garcia; Vivas, Montoya (c), Sclavi, Molina, Rubiolo, Matera, Gonzalez, Oviedo

Replacements: Bernasconi, Wenger, Coria Marchetti, Grondona. S, Moro, Benitez Cruz, Moroni, Cordero