Johnny Sexton will have a chance to set a new points record for Ireland after being selected to face Tonga for the World Cup clash in Nantes on Saturday.
The 38-year-old flyhalf is just nine points off his predecessor Ronan O’Gara’s points mark of 1 083, after scoring 24 in last weekend’s 82-8 rout of fellow Pool B rivals Romania.
Sexton will be partnered at halfback by Conor Murray, who for years was the first choice scrumhalf but has slipped behind Jamison Gibson-Park.
Head coach Andy Farrell has made other changes to the starting XV which faced the Romanians, bringing in Australia-born wing Mack Hansen for Keith Earls.
World Player of the Year Josh van der Flier is promoted to the run-on lineup after being a replacement last week, and his Leinster teammate hooker Ronan Kelleher also starts.
Ireland, ranked No 1 in the world, will hope to make it two from two against a Tonga side that is yet to play at this World Cup.
Ireland – 15 Hugo Keenan, 14 Mack Hansen, 13 Garry Ringrose, 12 Bundee Aki, 11 James Lowe, 10 Johnny Sexton (c), 9 Conor Murray, 8 Caelan Doris, 7 Josh van der Flier, 6 Peter O’Mahony, 5 James Ryan, 4 Tadhg Beirne, 3 Tadhg Furlong, 2 Ronan Kelleher, 1 Andrew Porter.
Subs: 16 Rob Herring, 17 Dave Kilcoyne, 18 Finlay Bealham, 19 Iain Henderson, 20 Ryan Baird, 21 Craig Casey, 22 Ross Byrne, 23 Robbie Henshaw.
© Agence France-Presse
Photo: ©INPHO/Laszlo Geczo via Irish Rugby
