Ireland will face their first real test of the World Cup and Tonga will be out to prove a point.
Ireland had a less pressured game to open their account, and they came through that with flying colors.
Tonga will be opening their account when they play Ireland. They will be up against the top team in the world but they will be buoyed by the performance of their Fijian neighbours.
The class that this Tonga side has displayed throughout their campaign preparations should not be underestimated. They have numerous players who have returned home after playing high-quality rugby for other nations and they are indeed considered professionals in Europe.
Out of the three island nations, Tonga is often seen as the most combative and this will be a great test for Ireland.
Ireland will have two more battles to face after the Tonga game, and this game will prepare them well for the inevitable onslaught from South Africa.
The Ireland team has been one of the most disciplined and well-coached teams in the world for the past 2 years.
They will be in an all-out war but they should still prevail by sticking to their well-organized and suffocating defense and their methodical attacking structures.
After the Romania match Ireland had a record in 2023 of only conceding something like 5 tries in 8 games in 2023!
Their patience in the build-up and the way that they craft opportunities will be something to look forward to, but Tonga has made it clear on a couple of occasions that they aren’t just here to make up the numbers.
It should truly be an epic clash!