Johnny Sexton keeps his place as Ireland make four changes for Tonga

Johnny Sexton has been retained in the Ireland side for Saturday's Rugby World Cup Pool B meeting with Tonga in Nantes, with head coach Andy Farrell making just four changes from last week's hammering of Romania.

With the toughest game of the pool to come next week against South Africa in Paris, Farrell has resisted the temptation to keep his captain on ice, with Sexton set to build up more gametime after a six month layoff with injury and suspension.

The Ireland captain could also become the country's all-time leading points scorer on the night, needing just 10 more points to overtake Ronan O'Gara's record of 1083.

The starting XV shows just four changes from the team that started the 82-8 win against Romania in Bordeaux.

Conor Murray comes in to partner Sexton in the half backs, while Mack Hansen returns on the right wing in place of Keith Earls, as James Lowe and Hugo Keenan continue in the side.

Once again Bundee Aki and Garry Ringrose are paired together in the centre, but Robbie Henshaw has been passed fit to feature off the bench, with the 30-year-old having sat out last week's win with a hamstring complaint.

Rónan Kelleher steps up into the starting team at hooker after returning from injury last week off the bench, with Andrew Porter and Tadhg Furlong starting for the second week in a row.

Joe McCarthy drops out, replaced by Josh van der Flier, with that change leading to a couple of positional switches; Tadhg Beirne shifts back up to second row where he partners James Ryan, while Peter O'Mahony swaps the openside flank for the blindside flank, as Caelan Doris completes the pack.

Dan Sheehan misses out on the starting XV, with the hooker yet to feature as he recovers from a foot injury.

Dave Kilcoyne has recovered from