Hey, everyone! We’re just under half an hour out from Ireland’s second game in Pool B of the Rugby World Cup.
Gavan Casey here, and I’ll be taking you through the Tonga game this evening in the event that you’re otherwise tied up and can’t get to the telly!
Here we go!
Both sides will line out as named earlier in the week.
All going well, skipper Johnny Sexton will surpass Ronan O’Gara this evening as Ireland’s all-time top points-scorer.
Incidentally, both Jack Conan and Dan Sheehan have been on the pitch before kick-off, but neither have been involved in the full-on warm-up.
Dan Sheehan the same, not doing the warm-up whereas the other non-23 squad members are.
— Murray Kinsella (@Murray_Kinsella) September 16, 2023
Insect repellent key for the mosquitos! pic.twitter.com/eS6jjjfxLz
Ireland: Keenan; Hansen, Ringrose, Aki, Lowe; Sexton (C), Murray; Porter, Kelleher, Furlong; Beirne, Ryan; O’Mahony, Van der Flier, Doris
Replacements: Herring, Kilcoyne, Bealham, Henderson, Baird, Casey, Byrne, Henshaw
Tonga: Piutau; Taumoepeau, Fekitoa, Ahki, Kata; Mausia, Pulu; Fisi’ihoi, Ngauamo, Tameifuna (C); Lousi, L Fifita; Halaifonua, Talitui, V Fifita
Replacements: Moli, Kolomatangi, Apikotoa, Mafi, Funaki, Vailanu, Takul, Inisi
What do you think the result will be this evening?
Poll Results:
Good Lord…
This is only the third test between Ireland and Tonga, by the way, after a pool game at the first ever World Cup in 1987 and a 2003 summer tour game ahead of the World Cup in Australia.
The match stewards will have their hands full this evening…
Almost anthem time!
The Tongans’ Siva Tau war dance is warmly received by the huge Irish crowd in Nantes — and it’s go-time.
1′ – IRL 0-0 TON: Wayne Barnes is your man in the middle, and William Havili gets us underway from midfield!
1′ – IRL 0-0 TON: James Ryan takes the kick-off in commanding fashion and Tonga are almost immediately pinged for offside.
Johnny Sexton boots Ireland up to their own 10′.
Serious rendition of ‘The Fields of Athenry’ being belted out.
Good ball off the top of Ireland’s lineout — but they lose the ball in contact. Tonga look to transition but Barnesy spots a forward pass. Scrum Ireland.
3′ – IRL 0-0 TON: Apologies — scrum Tonga, as they had a knock-on advantage prior to their forward pass. Tonga’s pack has 60kg on Ireland’s — and the scrum barely budges.
Tonga go wide right but they’re pinged for going off their feet at the breakdown.
Sexton punts Ireland as far as the Tongan 22′.
5′ – IRL 0-0 TON: Good lineout again by Ireland, and a solid attack until one loose pass backwards sees it break down. Tongan nine Augustine Pulu off his feet, and Ireland point towards the posts.
6′ – IRL 3-0 TON: Sexton beats the shot-clock — just! — and edges closer to ROG’s record.
Ireland lead in Nantes.
9′ – IRL 3-0 TON: Tonga concede their fourth penalty — this for offside on halfway — and Sexton kicks Ireland back to their 22′.
Another good lineout, some big Tongan hits, and eventually Porter leaves a ball behind him. Tonga clear beyond halfway — and Mack Hansen takes a quick lineout.
Hansen sees space, kicks into it, and wins a 50-22!
10′ – IRL 3-0 TON: Another strong Irish lineout but Tonga’s defence is again resolute and they win a jackal penalty off Tadhg Beirne.
13′ – IRL 3-0 TON: Sexton — with another Irish pen — takes his side back to the Tongan 22′.
Lineout perfect again.
Ireland go blind to Lowe but he’s smothered on the left-hand touchline and Tonga win another jackal penalty.
16′ – IRL 3-3 TON: Peter O’Mahony gets pinged for obstruction during a kick chase and Tonga seek points from the boot of Havili, near halfway.
He slots it from 50-odd metres. Terrific kick. All square in Nantes!
18′ – IRL 3-3 TON: Ireland have a try — from nothing — disallowed: Tongan wing Afusipa Taumoepeau dropped a bomb of a kick inside his own 22′, and Hansen and Beirne combined wonderfully to send Andrew Porter over…
…Hansen, however, had just about knocked the ball on as he gathered it — and Barnes chalks it off the board.
Ireland still get a scrum in Tongan territory but, after an encouraging first phase sees Ringrose make a half-break, an Irish hand knocks on again at the base of a messy ruck.
Tongan put-in on their own 5′, and they clear to just outside their own 22′.
21′ – IRL 10-3 TON: There it is! Tadhg Beirne!
Ireland switch the point of attack off the lineout and Sexton plays a wonderful reverse pass to Doris who breaks the Tongan line.
Doris, halted deep in the Tongan 22′, pops it to Beirne who stretches for the line under the sticks.
Lovely score, and Sexton chips over the afters.
Ireland lead!
23′ – IRL 10-6 TON: Ireland go off their feet and Havili narrows the gap from long range again! Wonderful strike.
25′ – IRL 10-6 TON: Solomone Kata concedes an unbelievably stupid penalty: a late hit on James Lowe as the Ireland wing clears from his own 22′. Penalty from where the ball landed, which was 60 yards upfield.
Sexton nudges Ireland to the Tongan 5′. This could prove so costly by Kata…
27′ – IRL 17-6 TON: It does prove costly! Ireland go over with a really well constructed maul. It’s Caelan Doris who comes up with the ball.
Excellent execution by Ireland, who are eight out of eight on their own ball at lineout time.
Sexton moves to within two of ROG.
Oh, Kata, you silly billy.
33′ – IRL 24-6 TON: Ah, wait ’til you see this one!
It’s Mack Hansen — and it’s a sensational individual score.
Wonderful, fast hands by Ireland across the Tongan 22′. Ringrose fires away a left-handed pass towards Hansen on the right flank — and the wing does well to take it on the bounce!
And then, it’s the Mack Hansen Show. He slaloms past three Tongan defenders and slides over in style.
Hansen’s best try for Ireland. Superb.
And Sexton does the rest to level the record.
38′ – IRL 24-6 TON: Ireland go over again from the maul but Rónan Kelleher is held up over the line. Goal-line drop-out to Tonga.
And back come Ireland! Here we go!
38′ – IRL 31-6 TON: WHAT A MOMENT! JOHNNY SEXTON!
He breaks O’Gara’s points-scoring record in style — with a try. And what a celebration to boot, ha!
It’s a beautiful score by Ireland. Murray finds an inch of space and sets Ringrose away with a lovely, delayed pass.
Ringrose bolts into the Tongan 22′ and times his release perfectly to tee up his captain for the record.
A chorus of ‘Johnny! Johnny! Johnny!’ breaks out at the Stade de Beaujour.
Sexton adds two more to his own record.
43′ – IRL 31-6 TON: Bonus point in the bag, but Tonga on the Irish 5′.
Couple of silly Irish penalties have given the Tongans this entry point, and now Peter O’Mahony has been sent to the bin — more for Ireland’s accumulation of penalties than anything.
The Tongans will scrum it. Bundee Aki has replaced O’Mahony in the scrum.
46′ – IRL 31-6 TON: Incredible defensive set by Ireland but Tonga have another advantage — no clear release after a tackle by Aki.
After 10 phases, Barnes brings it back towards the posts for the penalty.
Huge hits by Kelleher and Doris in that set.
Tonga will scrum it again.
48′ – IRL 31-13 TON: Tonga eventually break the Irish resistance — and Simon Easterby might be a bit disappointed to see Vaea Fifita crash over off first-phase.
That being said, he’s a hard man to stop when your defensive line is compromised by a man disadvantage.
William Havili slots the con and Ireland will take an 18-point lead into the break.
A good half for Ireland overall, but Tonga have the last word.
Catch you in 15.
41′ — IRL 31-16 TON: Ireland make four changes at the break: Herring, Kilcoyne and Bealham replace Kelleher, Porter and Furlong in a clean sweep of the front row.
Ross Byrne makes his World Cup debut, replacing Sexton who looked plenty ready to face the Springboks next week.
43′ – IRL 31-16 TON: Ireland’s first scrum with the new front row crumbles and Havili reduces the arrears to 15.
Good spell for Tonga either side of the break.
51′ – IRL 31-16 TON: Bealham off for a HIA, which means Furlong is back on. Not ideal.
After a decent Tongan spell, Ireland have a penalty on their 5′.
52′ – IRL 31-16 TON: Herring goes over straight from the tap — but he’s pulled back for a double movement.
59′ – IRL 38-16 TON: James Lowe, with virtually his first involvement, finishes from close range!
It all stemmed from a lineout stolen on the Irish 10′ by Tadhg Beirne and tapped back by Ryan Baird. Ireland won a penalty and Ross Byrne got nice purchase out of the kick to touch.
Ireland rolled the maul towards the Tongan line and Craig Casey — on for Conor Murray — popped Lowe over.
Byrne grabs his first World Cup points.
A settling score after a scrappy third quarter for Ireland.
64′ – IRL 45-16 TON: Bundee Aki! He’s in the form of his life, and he takes on home from the 22′. Nice set-play move by Ireland off the top of the lineout.
Excellent score. Byrne adds the extras.
69′ — IRL 52-16 TON: It’s Aki again! Tonga look weary, now, and Ireland batter away at their line until Casey puts the inside centre over from close range, a bit like Lowe a while ago.
Byrne adds the extra two again.
Job well and truly done, here.
80′ – IRL 59-16 TON: Herring! He gets his try as Ireland pounce on a lost Tongan lineout inside the Pacific Islanders’ 5′.
Byrne spotless with the boot again. Job well and truly done!
Eight tries as Ireland step things up a level in a fine win.
Full steam ahead to South Africa next week.
Keep an eye on The 42 for a full match report from Murray Kinsella, and for reaction from Murray, Ciarán Kennedy and myself over the coming hours!
Thanks for joining us — catch you for the next one!
