Tonga aim to match Ireland's physicality, says Fekitoa

Malakai Fekitoa says it will be "pretty weird" to play against some familiar faces when Tonga meet Ireland on Saturday (8pm Irish time).

The former Munster centre, who won the World Cup with New Zealand in 2015, has taken advantage of World Rugby's eligibility rules and will represent his native Tonga in France.

Although he only spent one season with the Limerick-based outfit, making 19 appearances, before moving to Benetton in the summer, the 31-year-old played a massive role in the side’s unlikely journey to the United Rugby Championship title.

"It will be pretty weird to play against them, especially the Irish boys," said Fekitoa, whose team start their World Cup campaign in Nantes on Saturday.

"I had a really good connection with those boys, they looked after me when I was there.

"[We’re] probably more connected because we won the championship.

"Those memories will last a lifetime. I will give everything on the pitch, it will be the same for Ireland."

Andy Farrell’s Ireland side, ranked number one in the world, kicked off their campaign with a 14th-straight Test win, against Romania on Saturday, and the 24-cap ex-All Black said: "We are playing against the best team in the world right now. It will be our toughest game. We will have to match them physically.

"It's probably unrealistic [for us] to be in the finals, but it's where we want to be. We want to win games, let's start this week."

Assistant coach Dan Cron (below), whose side can also call on former New Zealand internationals Charles Piutau, Vaea Fifita, George Moala and Augustine Pulu and former Wallaby Adam Coleman for the match, added: "It doesn't get any bigger.

"They are the number one ranked team in the world and they showed that against Romania, putting 80 points