If there is concern that Ireland are not where they need to be less than a year out from the World Cup, then at least there is some reassurance that Andy Farrell and his coaches know it.

Three and a half months on from a humbling 40-21 defeat to New Zealand, Ireland return to action on Friday night as they welcome Argentina to Aviva Stadium, the first of four games this month for Farrell's side.

The third of those, against South Africa at the Aviva, will tell us a lot about where Ireland currently stand in rugby's food chain, and will dictate who they play a week later in London, in the finals week for this new tournament.

As things stand, Farrell is under no illusions about how Ireland are stacking up.

"For what's coming in 12 months’ time, if we’re honest with ourselves, where we are right now, is that good enough to board the plane believing 100% that we’ve a chance to win the World Cup? I don’t think so," the head coach said yesterday.

It was an honest, albeit obvious, admission.

Four years ago, Ireland went into the World Cup as the No 1-ranked team, and continued towards a 17-match winning run where they had beaten each of the game's big guns.

However, results in recent years have seen a clear gap emerge between Ireland and South Africa, New Zealand and France, with six consecutive defeats to those sides, all by double digits.

Back in July, in the bowels of Eden Park in Auckland, the Ireland head coach stressed that if his side want to become the best in the world, then it will have to be as a team, acknowledging the individual talent at the disposal of other nations.

Yesterday, Farrell was asked to elaborate on where they have to make those improvements.

"The obvious and boring thing is to say every area," he added.

"We’re a pretty good team. Recognising that, to grow from a good team in the first place is pretty hard to do but you’ve got to have ambition to do that, the hunger to do that.

"But that excites me more than anything for what’s coming up in the next 12 months. I see a group that’s ready for the next challenge which is to ask themselves questions, where it is they want to go to, individually and as a collectively.

"It's something we probably think that it's very hard to see because we've got to get past a lot of people's ceilings to do that. If you can't get excited about that then you're in the wrong place."

Farrell has made seven changes from the side that were beaten by New Zealand, and while there are no new faces, there is a new back row combination, with a trio of Ryan Baird, Nick Timoney and Sean Jansen (above) starting together for the very first time.

And Farrell believes it's a trio that can complement each other well.

"I think Sean Jansen has been great. Unbelievably consistent. His work-rate is phenomenal.

"He's tough. He brings something different to us. He's fit. His numbers are great the whole time. Not that it matters too much to me, but it just shows where he's at mentally.

"He's had a couple of games for us now. He's been in the group for a while. He's a lot more settled within that so he needs to hit the ground running and we're excited to see him.

"Again, Nick [Timoney] needs to take his game to another level because we've seen him do that at international level, but there's more in him."

Baird, who missed the Six Nations with a broken leg, and then suffered another leg injury to rule him out of the summer Tests, had started all four of Ireland's games last November.

And Farrell says he has been impressed with how the 27-year-old has returned.

"He can be a world-class six and he can be a world-class second row as well. He can, 100%. He's thoroughly focused on being as good as he possibly can be.

"His professionalism is through the roof. His head's in the right place and his ambition is to be the best he can.

"But international rugby, it knocks people around in different ways. You've got to react to different sorts of pressures. He's got the quality to be able to react in the right way.

"His point of difference is there for all to be seen with his speed and power and all of that. But his understanding of the game is growing massively.

"Certainly at setpiece and his leadership within that, especially at the lineout.

"I think the world's his oyster, really. It's just how you navigate your way through this next 12 months.

"That back row, it excites me this week. To see how they grab hold of it and how they take it."

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