NANTES, France (Reuters) -Ireland captain Johnny Sexton has been named in their team to face Tonga, giving the flyhalf an opportunity to become his nation’s record points scorer in their World Cup Pool B clash at the Stade de le Beaujoire in Nantes on Saturday.
Coach Andy Farrell has made a number of changes to the side that ran in 12 tries in an 82-8 rout of Romania in their opening game, with World Player Of The Year Josh van der Flier and winger Mack Hansen restored to the starting lineup.
Conor Murray comes in for James Gibson-Park at scrumhalf with Ronan Kelleher picked at hooker in place of Rob Herring, while the centre pairing of Bundee Aki and Garry Ringrose is left unchanged.
“(There’s a) bit of continuity from last week. It’s a different game isn’t it, a different challenge, Tonga,” Farrell told a press conference. “Respecting the opposition is absolutely at the forefront of our mind.”
The Ireland coach said the points on offer against Tonga are as valuable as those up for grabs versus South Africa and Scotland and he had no intention of holding back his players.
“You have players now getting injured in training and missing the competition, so people could be resting this weekend and ill next weekend,” he said.
“We’d like to go with what we’ve got – a fit side, a good side, and build momentum through the competition.”
After a 24-point haul against Romania, the 38-year-old Sexton needs 10 more points to overhaul the 1,083 racked up by his predecessor Ronan O’Gara.
“Tonga are a very good team and they’ve got some very good players … we’re expecting a very tough game against top-class opposition with very good coaches, so it’s going to be a tough game,” Sexton said.
With the Tongans set to enter the fray this weekend, the Irish top the pool ahead of South Africa, who beat fourth-placed Scotland 18-3 in their opener. Romania are bottom.
Ireland team (caps in brackets):
15. Hugo Keenan (Leinster) (32)
14. Mack Hansen (Connacht) (17)
13. Garry Ringrose (Leinster) (53)
12. Bundee Aki (Connacht) (48)
11. James Lowe (Leinster) (22)
10. Johnny Sexton (Leinster)(captain) (114)
9. Conor Murray (Munster) (108)
1. Andrew Porter (Leinster) (55)
2. Ronan Kelleher (Leinster) (22)
3. Tadhg Furlong (Leinster) (68)
4. Tadhg Beirne (Munster) (42)
5. James Ryan (Leinster) (56)
6. Peter O’Mahony (Munster) (97)
7. Josh van der Flier (Leinster) (53)
8. Caelan Doris (Leinster) (32)
Replacements:
16. Rob Herring (Ulster) (38)
17. David Kilcoyne (Munster) (52)
18. Finlay Bealham (Connacht) (32)
19. Iain Henderson (Ulster) (75)
20. Ryan Baird (Leinster) (13)
21. Craig Casey (Munster) (12)
22. Ross Byrne (Leinster) (21)
23. Robbie Henshaw (Leinster) (65).
