Ireland vs Romania live score, updates, highlights, result as world’s leading side begin World Cup campaign

By | September 9, 2023
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Ireland’s Rugby World Cup campaign kicks off in Bordeaux, with the Six Nations champions taking on Romania. Andy Farrell’s men are the world’s number one side at the moment, and hope that this will be the tournament in which they can finally go all the way — if they can get out of the ‘group of death’ that Pool B has rightfully been billed as.

Ireland will have more than enough faith in their own ability to top the group and reach the quarters, having beaten each of the Wallabies, Springboks and All Blacks in the past year. As well as the Grand Slam, a clean sweep in their World Cup warm-ups followed, with Italy, England and Samoa all beaten.

Romania haven’t taken the same high road to reach the World Cup though. Suspensions for Spain and Russia means the Oaks qualified on a technicality, and that’s been reflected in their preparation for the tournament, which began with a 31-17 defeat to the USA before 56-6 and 57-7 thrashings by Georgia and Italy followed.

Reigning champions South Africa, a talent-rich Scotland side, and a Tongan squad including several former All Blacks and Wallabies are the other three sides in Pool B, meaning both Ireland and Romania will have their work cut out to make progress, rendering this opening match vital, with both sides look to start on the front foot.

The Sporting News is following the match live, providing live updates and commentary below.

Ireland vs Romania live score

  1H 2H FT
Ireland 0 – –
Romania 0 – –

Tries: 

Conversions:

Penalties: 

Ireland vs Romania live commentary, highlights

Kick-Off: Sexton has the ball on the halfway line, and boots it down-field to get Ireland’s Rugby World Cup underway!

5 mins from kick-off: Here they come! Sexton and Chirica lead their respective sides out onto the pitch, and after the national anthems have been sung, we’ll be underway!

10 mins from kick-off: The sun is beaming down over the Matmut Atlantique Stadium in Bordeaux, which is still slowly filling up ahead of kick-off in this Pool B opener!

15 mins from kick-off: A late change to the Irish 23 has seen another Leinsterman, Robbie Henshaw, drop out with a knock, and his place on the bench is taken by Connacht winger Mack Hansen. No alterations for Romania, as the Oaks prepare to be led out onto the Bordeaux pitch by captain Cristian Chirica.

30 mins from kick-off: Andy Farrell has named a strong line-up for Ireland, highlighted by the return of previously suspended captain Johnny Sexton. He’s joined by Leinster team-mate Jamison Gibson-Park in the halves, with the Dublin-based side making up 10 of the starting XV including five of the seven players in Ireland’s back-line.

45 mins from kick-off: Ireland will certainly be confident of showing that their world number one status is no fluke though, especially having beaten both the Springboks and Scotland in the past 12 months. Romania is on paper the easiest test Andy Farrell’s side will face at this World Cup, but the Oaks will certainly be fired up as they attempt to make a mark of their own.

60 mins from kick-off: Pool B is shaping up to be the most competitive in Rugby World Cup history, with three of the world’s five highest ranked sides all occupying the five-team group. It’ll likely be a straight shoot-out between Ireland, South Africa and Scotland for the two top spots, with Romania making up the numbers alongside a Tongan side which includes several players with top-level international experience.

75 mins from kick-off: Unbeaten so far in 2023, Ireland come into the tournament having won  their last 13 matches in a row to rise to the summit of World Rugby’s rankings. Romania, meanwhile, lost all three of their recent warm-up matches, and couldn’t be facing a tougher test in their first World Cup match since 2015.

90 mins from kick-off: Hello and welcome to The Sporting News’ live coverage of today’s Rugby World Cup clash in Pool B, as Six Nations winners Ireland take on Romania!

MORE: All the previous sides to have lifted the Rugby World Cup

Ireland vs Romania line-ups

Captain, leader and Irish rugby legend Johnny Sexton returns to the side following a lengthy ban picked up towards the back end of the club season. The Ireland talisman slots seamlessly back into the number 10 jersey alongside Leinster team-mate Jamison Gibson-Park, while Keith Earls, who marked his 100th test cap with a try against England in the recent warm-ups, gets the nod on the right wing, with free-scoring James Lowe occupying the left edge.

Veteran prop Cian Healy’s injury has sadly ruled the loosehead out of playing in a last World Cup. However, Andrew Porter has more than nailed down his spot in the number one jersey and starts up front alongside Rob Herring and Tadhg Furlong, with Healy’s replacement in the squad, Nevada-born Jeremy Loughman, amongst the eight substitute players.

Ireland starting XV: Hugo Keenan, Keith Earls, Garry Ringrose, Bundee Aki, James Lowe, Johnny Sexton, Jamison Gibson-Park; Andrew Porter, Rob Herring, Tadhg Furlong, Joe McCarthy, James Ryan, Tadhg Beirne, Peter O’Mahony, Caelan Doris.

Ireland replacements: Ronan Kelleher, Jeremy Loughman, Tom O’Toole, Iain Henderson, Josh van der Flier, Conor Murray, Jack Crowley, Robbie Henshaw.

Romania already had a mountain to climb against Italy before Adrian Motoc‘s 10th minute red card, but the Biarritz lock has avoided suspension to start in the second row alongside Stefan Iancu. Captain Cristian Chirica wears the number eight jersey and will lead his side from the back of the Oaks’ scrum.

Out wide, Tongan-born three-quarters Tevita Manumua and Fonovai Tangimana will add considerable power and punch to the Oaks’ back-line, while 24-year-old flyhallf Hinckley Vaovasa will direct his side around the park.

Romania starting XV: Marius Simionescu, Nicholas Onutu, Fonovai Tangimana, Jason Tomane, Tevita Manumua, Hinckley Vaovasa, Gabriel Rupanu; Iulian Hartig, Ovidiu Cojocaru, Alexandru Gordas, Adrian Motoc, Stefan Iancu, Florian Rosu, Vlad Neculau, Cristian Chirica.

Romania replacements: Florian Bardasu, Alexandru Savin, Gheorghe Gajion, Marius Iftimiciuc, Dragos Ser, Alin Conache, Tudor Boldor, Taylor Gontineac.

MORE: Ireland’s results so far in 2023 as Grand Slam winners head to World Cup

Ireland vs Romania TV channel, live stream

TV networks worldwide will be showing all 48 matches at the tournament live, including many on free-to-air television.

On social platforms alone, video content from the Rugby World Cup and organisers World Rugby drew more than 2.1 billion views in 2019 – almost six times the previous figure.

  TV channel Streaming
USA — Peacock
Canada TSN

TSN+
UK ITV ITV X
Australia Stan Sport Stan Sport
New Zealand Sky GO Sky GO
India — Fan Code
Hong Kong BeIN Sports BeIN Sports
Malaysia BeIN Sports BeIN Sports
Singapore BeIN Sports BeIN Sports

The tournament also has its own app, delivering highlights, news and more across the seven weeks of action in France.

MORE: How Ireland and Romania fared in their Rugby World Cup warm-up matches

Ireland vs Romania betting odds, prediction

The form and rankings of these two sides couldn’t be more of a contrast at the moment, with everything gearing towards a resounding Irish victory. The sides last met at the 2015 World Cup in England, with Joe Schmidt’s Ireland winning 44-10 at Wembley, scoring six tries to Romania’s one.

It’s safe to say the two have taken divergent paths since then though, with Ireland rising to the summit of World Rugby’s rankings and never being better placed to break their unwanted quarter-final curse.

Romania’s failure to qualify in 2019, and only reaching the 2023 edition thanks to suspensions for their European sides, suggests that anything other than a statement victory for Ireland would be a shock, and that’s reflected in the odds given by our partner bookmakers.

Result Australia (Unibet) UK (BetOnSports)
Ireland win 1.001 1/1000
Draw 101.00 66/1
Romania Zealand win 67.00 100/1

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