With the players still smarting from the poor performance against New Zealand, Ireland coach Declan Kidney has once again tinkered with his line-up for the crucial Test against Argentina at Croke Park tomorrow which will have ramifications years after the event.

Ireland must win or draw to finish the autumn Test campaign in eighth place in the IRB world rankings and thus earn a second tier seeding for the 2011 World Cup draw, which takes place next month.

Defeat to an Argentina side desperate for a win to secure a top-four place and thus a top tier seeding, coupled with a Scotland win over Canada tomorrow, however would see Ireland slip into the third tier where landing a pool of death is almost certain for the tournament to be staged in New Zealand.

Once again Geordan Murphy finds himself recalled to salvage the scenario for Ireland, returning in place of Girvan Dempsey at full-back, while two changes to the pack see Ulster flanker Stephen Ferris return at blindside flanker in place of Alan Quinlan, who will appeal his three-match ban for stamping in Dublin tonight, and Jerry Flannery preferred at hooker in favour of Rory Best.

Kidney confirmed that Ferris would have come in for Quinlan even if the Munster flanker hadn’t been cited for the incident during last week’s defeat to New Zealand, while both Best and Paul O’Connell have recovered from their respective dead legs.

There is a return to the bench for Mal O’Kelly nonetheless, with second row cover in mind, while an AN Other place has been left until Quinlan’s position is clarified.

Shane Jennings has been ruled out with a knee injury but Denis Leamy could be available despite suffering a shoulder injury during Munster’s defeat to New Zealand on Tuesday night.

Kidney admitted all the changes had been tight calls.

“Geordan has been playing well, full-back is one of several areas which is competitive,” said Kidney.

“We just felt that it was tight over the last few weekends. We thought he would be the right man for this job.

“I have this thing about bracketing players into one style, he is a good reader of the game, a good team person, a good pro. Like all players he has strengths and the odd few things wouldn’t go his way. I prefer not to over-emphasise the positives because I wouldn’t over-emphasise anything that went wrong afterwards but that doesn’t just go for him.

“We all know what he’s good at and what he brings to the team.”

As for Quinlan’s position and Ferris’s promotion, Kidney added: “I won’t say much because it’s at the appeals stage,” he added. “But it hasn’t really interfered. We had the hearing last night, training today, the appeal will be heard tomorrow. It would be wrong to make any comment.

“Stephen Ferris has played well, he started against Canada. I would have had that in mind before last night’s hearing.”

Kidney also felt that Flannery’s second-half cameo against New Zealand had just edged out Best.

“There are two guys playing very well with a third breathing down their neck. Jerry played well against Canada and when he came on against New Zealand but it’s not like Rory did a whole lot wrong. It’s just a judgement call.”

Ireland: G Murphy (Leicester); T Bowe (Ospreys), B O'Driscoll (Leinster, captain), L Fitzgerald (Leinster), R Kearney (Leinster); R O'Gara (Munster), T O'Leary (Munster); M Horan (Munster), J Flannery (Munster), J Hayes (Munster), D O'Callaghan (Munster), P O'Connell (Munster), S Ferris (Ulster), D Wallace (Munster), J Heaslip (Leinster).

Replacements: R Best (Ulster), T Buckley (Munster), M O'Kelly (Leinster), A.N. Other, E Reddan (Wasps), P Wallace (Ulster), K Earls (Munster).