Ireland v Tonga at the Rugby World Cup: Kick-off time, TV details and team news

Ireland got their Rugby World Cup off to a flying start and next up is Tonga - here is everything you need to know about the game. 

ROUND TWO: Ireland take on Tonga in their second group B game of the RWC. Pic: Brendan Moran/Sportsfile

Ireland got their Rugby World Cup off to a flying start with a 82-8 win over Romania in the Stade de Bordeaux last Saturday. They now face Tonga who play their first game in this tournament this weekend. Andy Farrell has named a strong Irish side to take on the Tongans as he hopes his side continue to improve their performances. Here is everything you need to know about the game.

Where is the game being played?

The game is being played in the 35,520 seater Stade de la Beaujoire in Nantes.

VENUE:  A general view of the 35,520 seater Stade de la Beaujoire. Pic: ©INPHO/Dave Winter

What time is kick-off?

Game is kicking off at 8pm Irish time (9pm local time).

Where to watch?

The game will be live on RTÈ from 7pm. It will also be streamed on the RTÈ Player. The game will also be shown live on ITV.

Who is the referee?

Wayne Barnes will be the man in the middle on Saturday evening. It has been 5,845 days since Barnes' took control of his first RWC match when he refereed New Zealand's 76-14 win over Italy on September 8 2007 and this one will be his 22nd tournament fixture. 

Barnes holds the record for the most RWC referee appearances in terms of matches (21) and tournaments (five). After this game Barnes will take charge of three more pool games: Wales v Australia, Scotland v Romania and New Zealand v Uruguay.

WAYNES BARNES: Holds the record for the most referee appearance at the RWC. Pic: Harry Murphy/Sportsfile

Team News 

Andy Farrell has made four changes to personal for their second group game. Conor Murray comes in to replace Jamison Gibson-Parks with Craig Casey coming onto the bench. This will be the 69th time Conor Murray will partner up with Johnny Sexton and extending their record for the most appearances as a half-back combination. Mack Hansen replaces Keith Earls on the wing while Ronan Kelleher comes in for Rob Herring at hooker. Josh van der Flier comes in at openside flanker with Peter O'Mahony reverting back to blindside and Tadhg Beirne moving into the second row in place of Joe McCarthy. Caelan Doris makes up the back row maintaining his record as the only Irish player to feature in every match this year.

Tonga's head coach Toutai Kefu has included four former All Blacks in his starting XV with full-back Salesi Piutau, centre Malakai Fekitoa, scrum-half Augustine Pulu and number eight Vaea Fifita. Fekitoa is hoping to become only the second player after Frank Bunce (Samoa/New Zealand) to score for two different countries at the RWC. Former Connacht player and Tonga's second rower Leva Fifita has made all 26 of his tackles 

IRELAND: H Keenan (Leinster); M Hansen (Connacht), G Ringrose (Leinster), B Aki (Connacht), J Lowe (Leinster); J Sexton (Leinster) – captain, C Murray (Munster); A Porter (Leinster), R Kelleher (Leinster), T Furlong (Leinster); T Beirne (Munster), J Ryan (Leinster); P O’Mahony (Munster), J van der Flier (Leinster), C Doris (Leinster).

Replacements: R Herring (Leinster), D Kilcoyne (Munster), F Bealham (Connacht), , I Henderson (Ulster), R Baird (Leinster), C Casey (Munster), R Byrne (Leinster), R Henshaw (Leinster).

TONGA: S Piutau (Bristol Bears), A Taumoepeau (Perpignan), M Fekitoa (Benetton), P Akhi (Toulouse), S Kata (Leicester Tigers), W Havili (Moana Pasifika), A Pulu (Hino Red Dolphins), S Fisi’ihoi (Pau), P Ngauamo (Castres), B Tameifuna (Bordeaux Begles)(C), S Lousi (Scarlets), H Fifita (Oyonnax), T Halaifonua (Stade Francais), S Talitui (Moana Pasifika), V Fifita (Scarlets) 

Replacements: S Moli (Moana Pasifika), T Kolomatangi (Moana Pasifika), S Apikotoa (Moana Pasifika), S Paea (New England Free Jacks), S Funaki (Moana Pasifika), S Vailanu (Glasgow Warriors), S Takul (Mont-de-Marson), F Inisi (Moana Pasifika)

Head-to-head

Ireland have played Tonga twice before with Ireland winning on both occasions. 

Did you know?

Johnny Sexton surpassed Ronan O'Gara as Ireland's record RWC points scorer with 24 points against Romania and is now in line to surpass O'Gara's overall Irish test record of 1,083 points - Sexton just nine points adrift of the record.

Bundee Aki got a new Irish record against Romania with 191 metres gained including five line breaks beating a previous record of 165m jointly held by Rob Kearney against Russia in 2011 and  Geordan Murphy against Argentina in 2007.

Tonga have handed 21 players their test debuts at the RWC which is more than any other nation. Ex-Wallaby Adam Coleman has to be patient to be the next debutant as he has been left out of the matchday 23 for the game against Ireland.

Ireland have the second-oldest squad at this year's RWC with South Africa having the oldest. The average age for Ireland is 29 years and 149 days when the tournament kicked off. 

What are this weekend’s other matches?

Friday, Sept 15 - New Zealand v Namibia, Toulouse, 8pm 

Saturday, Sept 16 - Samoa v Chile, Stade de Bordeaux, 2pm.

Saturday, Sept 16 - Wales v Portugal, Stade de Nice 4.45pm.

Sunday, Sept 17 - South Africa v Romania, Bordeaux, 2pm 

Sunday, Sept 17 - Australia v Fiji, St Etienne, 4.45pm 

Sunday, Sept 17 - England v Japan, Stade de Nice, 8pm