Unlike the other World Cup favorites, the XV du Trèfle did not rotate for this second match of the group stage. He won easily on Saturday evening.
The debate rages every four years. Should the favorites for final victory leave their frames in the fridge for the most affordable matches? Ireland, it seems, has not asked this question. Saturday September 16, in Nantes, the world’s leading nation beat Tonga (59-16), scoring eight tries with most of its usual starters, for its second match of the group stage in this World Cup.
Among the four favorites for final victory, the Irish are the only ones to have deployed heavy artillery on this second day. However, the temptation was great to turn, against an opponent on paper who was very inferior. They thus took the opposite view of the French, stammering with a mixed team against Uruguay (27-12) or the New Zealanders, easy against Namibia without their stars (71-3).
Did they really need Jonathan Sexton, Peter O’Mahony or Bundee Aki to beat the valiant but quickly overwhelmed Tonganians? It is not said, but we cannot blame Ireland for lacking consistency: their resounding opening success against Romania (82-8) had already been achieved with the heroes of the last Grand Slam.
Sexton in history
“For us, every match has the same importance, indicated coach Andy Farrell at a press conference this week. The latter prides itself on “respect” the opponent, with the risk of exhausting their best players. They should naturally continue during the two shocks against South Africa, next Saturday, and Scotland, on October 7, thus making Ireland the only favorite nation to play its four first round matches with a “premium” team.
The management still managed their squad by making four changes at the break, the offensive bonus already in their pocket. Symbol of this management contrary to other big names, the opener Jonathan Sexton (38 years old) was spared by only playing one period. These 40 minutes at Beaujoire still allowed him to score 16 points, breaking the record for points scored by a player in the history of the Irish team (1090, compared to 1083 for Ronan O’Gara ). Without him, the XV du Trèfle continued its recital after the break and signed its second major success of the competition, with twenty tries in total.
Earlier in the day, Saturday, Wales achieved a perfect operation in Group C with an improved success against Portugal who nevertheless shook them up (28-8). For their part, Samoa started their competition with a clear victory against Chile (43-10), in Bordeaux, again accompanied by an offensive bonus.