As it happened: Ireland v Romania, Rugby World Cup 2023

We'll go score for score this afternoon, and there may be quite a few. 

UP AND RUNNING: Jamison Gibson-Park of Ireland scores his side's first try. Picture: Harry Murphy/Sportsfile

4.42pm Simon Lewis in Bordeaux has filed his on-the-whistle match report from the stadium before he heads down to quiz the players and Andy Farrell. 

4.30pm Peter O'Mahony wins man of the match, though he tells Virgin he's not sure why. It's a good start from Ireland. Johnny Sexton was able to stretch his legs, score some points and hopefully that wrist issue is nothing major. 

80+3 TRY FOR I RELAND

Ireland 82 Romania 8

It's all over.  Ireland could have ended the game long before now but they kept it in play and Beirne gets over for the final try of the afternoon. Ruthless. 

74 mins TRY FOR IRELAND 

Ireland 75 Romania 8 

Bundee Aki is the next cab off the rank for the try. He's been great all day and picked a sharp line to get on the end of a pass from his Connacht colleague Mack Hansen.  

70 mins TRY FOR IRELAND 

Ireland 68 Romania 8 

Peter O'Mahony touches down, one-handed, in the corner after a nice tip-on by Henderson. O'Mahony's Munster teammate Crowley converts brilliantly from the touchline. 

67 mins TRY FOR IRELAND 

Ireland 61 Romania 8

Joe McCarthy gets over the try he's been threatening all day. Big moment for the World Cup debutant and well deserved. 

66 mins Ireland 54 Romania 8 

Johnny Sexton's work is done for the day. He's replaced by Jack Crowley as the first 'Fields of Athenry' of the tournament rings out. 

63 mins TRY FOR IRELAND

Ireland 54 Romania 8 

Johnny Sexton gets over again and he's showing no signs of ring rust after his long layoff. That's try No 8 for the Irish today.  

60 mins Ireland 47 Romania 8 

Water break time. There are a few more changes in the offing, we're told. 

Johnny Sexton is like a boxer on his stool in the corner with a large ice pack balanced on the back of his neck. It's hot out there. 

The break is a good time to remind you that there's plenty more rugby coming later today -- and for then next seven weeks! -- and you can keep across all the talking points with our dedicated RWC hub; and it's a great time to subscribe to the Irish Examiner to get the full benefit of the our experts like Ronan O'Gara and Donal Lenihan. 

Okay, the players are hydrated and back on the pitch. 

56 mins Ireland 47 Romania 8 

Van der Flier and Henderson trot on in place of Ryan and Doris. 

54 mins Ireland 47 Romania 8 

Here come the cavalry; Kelleher, Loughman and O'Toole replace Herring, Porter and Furlong who can be satisfied with their contribution.  

49 mins  TRY FOR IRELAND

Ireland 47 Romania 8 

Another one... this time it's Peter O'Mahony who gets over after brilliant work from the likes of Aki again, Tadhg Furlong and Rob Herring. This could get ugly for the Romanians at this stage. 

45 MINS TRY FOR IRELAND

Ireland 40 Romania 8 

Rob Herring gets down low and stretches for the line to open his account. Great start to the second period.  

42 mins We're back up and running. Sexton is back out and looks to be fine - he's just made an excellent kick to the corner.  

3.28pm The Virgin Media panel have offered their diagnosis on Sexton's wrist: be grand. 

Here's the incident that led to the nation holding their breath. 

𝐒𝐄𝐗𝐓𝐎𝐍! ☘️

Scores under the posts before half-time!

Bit of a sore hand for his troubles. #IREvROM | #RWC2023 pic.twitter.com/dBh997bZHJ

— Virgin Media Sport (@VMSportIE) September 9, 2023

HALF-TIME Ireland 33 Romania 8

The conversion is the last action of the half and the players head in for some much-needed hydration. What did you make of that opening period of Ireland's World Cup campaign: [e-mail]  

40 mins TRY FOR IRELAND

Ireland 33 Romania 8 

Johnny Sexton marks his return to action with a try under the posts. But as he touched down, a Romania player slid in and seemingly hurt the Ireland 10's wrist. We'll keep an eye on it.   

34 mins TRY FOR IRELAND 

Ireland 26 Romania 8 

Bundee Aki barrels over to get the scoreboard ticking over again and secure the bonus point. 

32 mins Yellow card for Romania 

There hasn't been a whole lot of action in the past while, has there? Marius Simionescu trots off after seeing yellow after Sexton taps a quick penalty. The full-back tried to slow down the ball

25 mins Ireland 19 Romania 8 

Some sustained pressure from Ireland but the final pass again goes to ground and the opportunity goes.  

20 mins Ireland 19 Romania 8

A penalty to Romania takes us to the first water break with the players retreating to some shade.

17 mins TRY FOR IRELAND 

Ireland 19 Romania 5 

Tadhg Beirne finishes one handed in the corner after a nice skip pass from James Lowe. Sexton draws his conversion attempt wide. 

UP AND RUNNING: Jamison Gibson-Park of Ireland scores his side's first try. Picture: Harry Murphy/Sportsfile

12 mins TRY FOR IRELAND 

Ireland 14 Romania 5 

Great try from Ireland, and Hugo Keenan, and they're clicking through the gears now. Aki absorbed a big hit, James Ryan had the offload and his Leinster teammate showed the intelligence to finish under the posts.  Sexton converts again. 

9 mins There are still Irish fans streaming into the stadium we're told and there are reports on social media of supporters being stuck outside as the game got underway.  

5 mins TRY FOR IRELAND 

Ireland 7 Romania 5 

Jamison Gibson-Park responds for Ireland.  

What a few minutes we've had. After an opening when the sides exchanged kicks, Gabriel Rupanu got in behind for the opening try and then amazingly, missed the easy conversion. Not long after through, his opposite number struck back for Ireland. 

3 mins TRY! Romania take a shock lead!

COME THE DAY: Ireland stand for the national anthem. Picture: INPHO/Laszlo Geczo

2.29pm Anthem time and we're treated to a rendition of Ireland's call from some French kids, seemingly. 

2.25pm We're nearly ready to kick off the tournament. It's a campaign that may run all the way to the last Saturday in October. 

Read more from Ronan O’Gara, Donal Lenihan and our other Rugby World Cup experts throughout the tournament, exclusively available to subscribers. 

Here's Simon Lewis's vantage point. We're not jealous at all.

 

2.20pm Andy Farrell has given his pre-game thoughts for TV and says he's 'delighted and excited to get the show on the road'. 

On the temperatures, the Ireland head coach says it's something they've prepared for and it's the same for both sides. 

2.14pm In the earlier game, Italy took care of business in St-Etienne against Namibia, running out 52-8 winners in their Pool A game. As I type, Tommy Martin in shirt sleeves is pitchside and updating us on the late changes.   Read Tommy's thoughts on the build-up to the tournament. 

2.05pm: It's hitting 34 degrees at the stadium we're told and will have water-breaks throughout.  

In the meantime, here's that updated Ireland team. Henshaw's absence is 'precautionary' according to the IRFU.

Hugo Keenan; Keith Earls, Garry Ringrose, Bundee Aki, James Lowe; Johnny Sexton (c), Jamison Gibson-Park; Andrew Porter, Rob Herring, Tadhg Furlong; Joe McCarthy, James Ryan; Tadhg Beirne, Peter O'Mahony, Caelan Doris.

Replacements: Rónan Kelleher, Jeremy Loughman, Tom O'Toole, Iain Henderson, Josh van der Flier, Conor Murray, Jack Crowley, Mack Hansen.

1.55pm Some pre-game listening? Have you added our new Rugby World Cup podcast to your rotation yet? Check out episode one with Ronan O'Gara, Donal Lenihan and co-hosts Simon Lewis and Brendan O'Brien. 

1.40pm First order of business -  Robbie Henshaw is out of the XV and Mack Hansen is drafted in to the matchday squad. 

1.30pm Let's dance. 

After lots of build-up, and plenty of talking, it's finally time for some rugby. 

Andy Farrell's Ireland kick off their World Cup campaign in Bordeaux this afternoon against the minnows of Romania. 

We'll go minute-by-minute throughout the afternoon with input from our writers and experts in France and, we hope you - email [e-mail] with your pre-game predictions and thoughts throughout.