Take your World Cup chance - O'Sullivan

Ireland coach Eddie O’Sullivan has urged his players to “throw down a marker for the World Cup” when they tackle Tonga tomorrow.

The Tongans have just returned from a two-match tour of New Zealand, during which they were heavily beaten by the Maori before forcing a 10-10 draw with the Division XV, a side of amateurs taken from the second and third tiers of the NPC.

But O’Sullivan has warned against taking the game too lightly, given the conditions will suit the hosts.

Tonga’s last four Tests were all part of their successful Rugby World Cup qualification campaign, which included landslide victories over Papua New Guinea and then Korea.

“We will need to control the pace of the game, because a quicker pace in the heat over here might suit them more than us,” he said.

“They are a very physical team and, if we are not strong in the tackle, we will struggle due to the fact that they will offload out of the tackle.

“The players should be very focused. It’s an opportunity for them to throw down a marker for the World Cup. And, if guys come up short on Saturday, it will make life more difficult for them.”

Reggie Corrigan is determined to make the most of his chance to skipper Ireland against the Tongans.

Corrigan will lead the Irish because they are missing several big names for the first of two Pacific Island Tests.

In fact Corrigan is one of only four players from the side beaten by Australia in Perth will play in Nukualofa to keep his place – the others being Lions fly-half Ronan O’Gara, fullback Girvan Dempsey and hooker Shane Byrne.

Corrigan admits he never dreamed that he would captain his country.

“I know it’s just a temporary thing because most of the senior boys have gone home. But it’s still huge,” he said.

“This time last year I was going on tour to New Zealand to see if I could get back on the team. Now, exactly 12 months later, I’m captaining Ireland in an international.

“It’s some jump, some turnaround. It’s funny actually because a good friend of mine Gerry McCoy predicted about three years ago that some day I would captain Ireland.

“I wasn’t even in the Irish team at the time, so I told him, I didn’t think there was even a chance of that happening. But I also told him that if it does, I would buy him drink for the night. I’m sure he will keep me to it when I get back!”