Ireland 59-16 Tonga: Johnny Sexton becomes record points scorer for his country in Rugby World Cup win
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Updated 17/09/2023 at 09:39 GMT
Ireland made it two wins from as maany games at the Rugby World Cup with a victory over Tonga in Nantes on Saturday evening. The Irish are well fancied to go deep in the tournament and produced a polished performance, with Johnny Sexton taking the plaudits after scoring a try to become his country's all-time leading points scorer - moving past Ronan O'Gara.
Highlights: Wales, Ireland and Samoa win at the Rugby World Cup
Johnny Sexton became Ireland’s all-time leading points scorer when surpassing Ronan O’Gara in a scintillating World Cup bonus-point victory over Tonga.
With South Africa and Scotland to come for the Irish in Pool B, there had been a suggestion Sexton would be rested in Nantes, but Ireland head coach Andy Farrell resisted the temptation.
And what followed was an historic night for the 38-year-old fly-half, who kicked his way to matching O’Gara’s record of 1,074 points before breaking it in style - going under the posts for his third try this tournament.
It was the highlight of a comfortable night for Ireland, who never looked back once Tadhg Beirne found the breakthrough, with Sexton brought off at half-time on 1,090 Test rugby points and counting.
A Bundee Aki double saw Ireland pass the 50-point mark, as they did against Romania, after the break as tired Tongan legs led to plenty of opportunities.
Tonga, playing their first match of this World Cup, did have their moments though - including a deserved try late in the first half - but they could not stop an Irish machine that moves onto 15 straight wins, extending a record they hope will run beyond the final in Paris.
TALKING POINT – Now it’s down to business for Ireland
After thrashing Romania, this was expected to be a sterner test, but nothing like what’s around the corner for Ireland.
Farrell will therefore be happy to see his squad come through this encounter relatively unscathed with no major injuries of note – bar replacement prop Finlay Bealham – the hope now being that match practice gives them momentum for the mammoth clash with South Africa next Saturday.
Sexton breaking the record then being wrapped in cotton wool for the second half certainly helped, too.
PLAYER OF THE MATCH – Mack Hansen (Ireland)
Scored the pick of the tries and really does look electric every time he has the ball, and on a night where Ireland’s back line was firing - that was some message to the Springboks.
PLAYER RATINGS
Ireland: Keenan 7, Hansen 8, Ringrose 7, Aki 8, Lowe 8, Sexton 8, Murray 7; Porter 6, Kelleher 7, Furlong 7, Beirne 7, Ryan 6, O'Mahony 7, Van der Flier 7, Doris 8.
Subs: Herring 6, Kilcoyne 6, Bealham 5, Henderson 6, Casey 7, Byrne 7, Henshaw 6.
Tonga: Piutau 6, Taumoepeau 7, Fekitoa 6, Ahki 5, Kata 5, Havili 7, Pulu 6; Fisi'ihoi 5, Ngauamo 6, Tameifuna 5, Lousi 5, Fifita 6, Halaifonua 6, Talitui 5, Fifita 7.
Subs: Moli 6, Kolomatangi 6, Apikotoa 6, Funaki 6, Vailanu 6, Takulua 6.
MATCH HIGHLIGHTS
22’ TRY! IRELAND 10-3 TONGA - And it’s Tadhg Beirne who goes over after Ireland break through this Tongan defence thanks to Doris. It then falls to Beirne, who goes under the posts for an easy conversion for Sexton to add another two.
28’ TRY! IRELAND 17-6 TONGA - Lowe is taken out late in his own 22 and so Ireland get a penalty where it lands… It puts Tonga under some needless pressure and the line-out results in a maul where Doris gets Ireland over the line for a second time. Sexton squeezes in the conversion.
34’ WHAT A TRY! IRELAND 24-6 TONGA - That is sensational from Hansen. Just as we were about to talk about the bonus-point win, the wing gets Ireland almost there with a fine run from out wide – passing SEVEN players along the way. Exceptional footwork and pace. Sexton goes over for another two. He has matched O’Gara with that conversion.
39’ RECORD FOR SEXTON! TRY! IRELAND 31-6 TONGA - Never mind just kicking your way to the record… how about that from Sexton, who surpasses O’Gara by going under the posts himself. Great celebration from Sexton after, and he sticks over another easy two. Cruising to a bonus-point win.
40+8’ TRY! IRELAND 31-13 TONGA - Eight minutes run over the 40 and Tonga finally convert this pressure into points, with Fifita breaking off the back of the scrum and going over. Conversion follows, as does the half-time whistle.
60’ TRY! IRELAND 38-16 TONGA - Ireland go to the corner for a line-out, and from the subsequent maul, it’s one pass from Casey to James Lowe and over for the fifth Irish try of the night. Byrne adds the two.
64’ TRY! IRELAND 45-16 TONGA - No stopping Bundee Aki when he finds that angle and space. He shows off his pace too to score his third try of the tournament, darting towards the line like an arrow. Byrne adds another two.
70’ - TRY! IRELAND 52-16 TONGA - Tired legs out there now, and it’s another double for Aki, a week on from his two tries against Romania. He becomes the top try scorer of this tournament so far after Ireland wear Tonga down and he goes under the posts. Byrne makes it two more.
80’ TRY! IRELAND 59-16 TONGA - A final try of the night for Ireland, and it’s prop Herring whose try definitely counts this time after he intercepts the line-out and goes over. Byrne adds the final two of the night.
KEY STATS
- Peter O'Mahony received Ireland’s first yellow card of this calendar year during the first half.
- Ireland have scored 50+ points in consecutive World Cup games for the first time in their history.
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