IRELAND BOSS ANDY Farrell has made four personnel changes to his team for Saturday’s World Cup clash with Tonga in Nantes [KO 8pm Irish time, RTÉ].
Mack Hansen, Conor Murray, Rónan Kelleher, and Josh van der Flier have been brought into Farrell’s starting XV a week on from Ireland’s massive win over Romania.
Meanwhile, Dave Kilcoyne, Finlay Bealham, Ryan Baird, Craig Casey, Robbie Henshaw and Ross Byrne have been included in the matchday 23 for the first time in this World Cup.
Casey, Bealham, Baird, and Byrne are set for their World Cup debuts.
Johnny Sexton will captain the side for the second game in a row as Ireland look to make it two wins from two in Pool B, while also getting themselves ready for next weekend’s huge clash against South Africa in Paris.
If Sexton scores 10 points in this game, he will become Ireland’s all-time record points scorer, moving above Ronan O’Gara.
Sexton has a new halfback partner this weekend as Murray starts at scrum-half, with Jamison Gibson-Park rotating out of the matchday 23. Hansen comes in on the right wing in place of Keith Earls, who also drops out.
Van der Flier is included at openside flanker, while Kelleher gets a start at hooker.
The only players yet to be named in Ireland’s matchday squads at this World Cup are Stuart McCloskey, Jimmy O’Brien, Dan Sheehan, and Jack Conan. Sheehan is only just back from a foot injury, while Conan is still sidelined with his own foot injury.
Ireland (v Tonga):
- 15. Hugo Keenan
- 14. Mack Hansen
- 13. Garry Ringrose
- 12. Bundee Aki
- 11. James Lowe
- 10. Johnny Sexton (captain)
- 9. Conor Murray
- 1. Andrew Porter
- 2. Rónan Kelleher
- 3. Tadhg Furlong
- 4. Tadhg Beirne
- 5. James Ryan
- 6. Peter O’Mahony
- 7. Josh van der Flier
- 8. Caelan Doris
Replacements:
- 16. Rob Herring
- 17. David Kilcoyne
- 18. Finlay Bealham
- 19. Iain Henderson
- 20. Ryan Baird
- 21. Craig Casey
- 22. Ross Byrne
- 23. Robbie Henshaw
Referee: Wayne Barnes [RFU].