{"id":98499,"date":"2023-09-15T15:34:46","date_gmt":"2023-09-15T15:34:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/crossfitcaliforniacity.com\/?p=98499"},"modified":"2023-09-15T15:34:46","modified_gmt":"2023-09-15T15:34:46","slug":"ireland-braced-for-big-step-up-ahead-of-facing-tongas-serious-threats","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/crossfitcaliforniacity.com\/rugby\/ireland-braced-for-big-step-up-ahead-of-facing-tongas-serious-threats\/","title":{"rendered":"Ireland braced for \u2018big step up\u2019 ahead of facing Tonga\u2019s \u2018serious threats\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Ireland\u2019s coaching staff and players are braced for a \u201cbig step up\u201d at the Rugby World Cup as they prepare to face the \u201cserious threats\u201d of Tonga in Nantes.<\/p>\n

Andy Farrell\u2019s men launched their campaign by running in 12 tries during a thumping 82-8 demolition of Pool B minnows Romania.<\/p>\n

Ireland have pivotal Paris appointments against South Africa and Scotland on the horizon but feel they cannot afford to underestimate the nation sitting 15th in the Test rankings.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey\u2019ve got some of the best open field runners in world rugby,\u201d defence coach Simon Easterby said of Tonga.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey\u2019ve got guys in the forward pack that can mix it, they can offload. And they\u2019ve got attacking threats throughout their back line.<\/p>\n

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\u201cIt\u2019s a real challenge for us defensively, it\u2019s one that we\u2019re probably ready for after the Romania game. We didn\u2019t have to get through that much work without the ball.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s going to be a big step up from the challenge Romania threw at us.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey (Tonga) attack well but they certainly want to come and hit and put us off our rhythm.\u201d<\/p>\n

Head coach Farrell spoke of focusing on immediate challenges and respecting Tonga, who are preparing for their opening match of the tournament, when announcing a strong team on Thursday afternoon.<\/p>\n

Aside from sidelined hooker Dan Sheehan and first-choice scrum-half Jamison Gibson-Park, the Englishman has gone with arguably his preferred starting XV, which features four personnel changes from last weekend.<\/p>\n

Full-back Hugo Keenan feels it is easy to concentrate game by game, despite the looming threat of the Springboks.<\/p>\n

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\u201cYeah, I think it has (been),\u201d he said. \u201cI know throughout the pool, there is tough games coming up but Tonga are a serious side, serious threats and individuals across the team.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re only looking at them, we\u2019re only focusing on this week.\u201d<\/p>\n

Following the scorching conditions of their Bordeaux curtain-raiser, where temperatures reached 36 degrees Celsius, Ireland trained in 30-degree heat on Friday afternoon at Stade de la Beaujoire.<\/p>\n

Prop Tadhg Furlong joked about needing to layer up as he prepares for a stern test against Tonga\u2019s bulky front-row forwards.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was thinking of putting a jumper on today compared to what we\u2019ve been used to,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cAlthough it is hot, it doesn\u2019t feel as hot (as previously). (It\u2019s been) like an oven, or someone blowing a hairdryer in your face, for the last few weeks.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Referring to the weekend challenge, he said: \u201cOf course we respect them. Sometimes in scrummaging there\u2019s no replacement for displacement.<\/p>\n

\u201cWeight makes it heavy, it makes it hard, that\u2019s the nature of it and it\u2019s a big challenge from a big pack. We have to be technically good.\u201d<\/p>\n

Source: Read Full Article<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Sign up to our free sport newsletter for all the latest news on everything from cycling to boxing Sign up to our free sport email for all the latest news Thanks for signing up to the Sport email Ireland\u2019s coaching staff and players are braced for a \u201cbig step up\u201d at the Rugby World Cup as they prepare to face the \u201cserious threats\u201d of Tonga in Nantes. Andy Farrell\u2019s men<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\nIreland braced for \u2018big step up\u2019 ahead of facing Tonga\u2019s \u2018serious threats\u2019 - crossfitcaliforniacity.com<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/crossfitcaliforniacity.com\/rugby\/ireland-braced-for-big-step-up-ahead-of-facing-tongas-serious-threats\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Ireland braced for \u2018big step up\u2019 ahead of facing Tonga\u2019s \u2018serious threats\u2019 - crossfitcaliforniacity.com\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Sign up to our free sport newsletter for all the latest news on everything from cycling to boxing Sign up to our free sport email for all the latest news Thanks for signing up to the Sport email Ireland\u2019s coaching staff and players are braced for a \u201cbig step up\u201d at the Rugby World Cup as they prepare to face the \u201cserious threats\u201d of Tonga in Nantes. 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