Rugby World Cup: Ireland v Romania

1. Pool D FT: Ireland 44-10 Romania
2. Bowe 2, Earls 2, R Kearney, Henry tries
3. Tonita try, Calafeteanu pen, Vlaicu con for Romania
4. Click Live Coverage tab for Radio 5 live commentary

Ireland 44-10 Romania

Another top-quality weekend of rugby comes to an end.

And another week is just around the corner.

Next up on your RWC radar is Tonga v Namibia on Tuesday in Exeter.

Wales play Fiji on Thursday, England play Australia on Saturday after Scotland slug it out with South Africa earlier in the day. 

See you there.

'Win shows strength of the squad'

I think we left a couple of opportunities out there but overall very happy with the bonus point win. We talk about the strength of the squad. The strength of this is about the collective and lads took the opportunity today to show that. We can only prepare for what is ahead of us. We will regroup now, turn the page and focus on Italy.

Jamie HeaslipIreland, on ITV Sport

Ireland 44-10 Romania

Simon Zebo had a fine afternoon at full-back for Ireland and, with Rob Kearney limping off and a potential injury concern for their match against Italy next week, stated a strong claim for a starting place.

BBC Sport

Looking ahead

David Humphreys

Former Ireland fly-half

I do not believe Italy will pose Ireland any serious problems next week. I think Ireland will win that one well. The final pool game against France will be the tournament-defining one for Ireland.

Ireland 44-10 Romania

A strong performance from Ireland saw them dominate all the attacking stats, including metres made (511-275), carries (133-93) and defenders beaten (27-7).

Opta

Ireland 44-10 Romania

Ireland are top of the Pool D pops. 

But it feels like we are heading inevitably towards that final match in the pool.

Sunday 11 October. Ireland v France. That is surely where this group will be decided, with the runner-up likely to face the All Blacks in the last eight.

BBC

'Romania made us work'

Romania made us work for it but we are happy with the win. The support here has been amazing. To have this stadium filled out with Irish people has been humbling. We are focused week by week on the games ahead. This is another week where we focused and tried to do the team proud.

Jamie HeaslipIreland

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Denis Hickie

Former Ireland winger on BBC Radio 5 live

The scrum platform today was good but it will be a bigger challenge against Italy. Ireland need more control and turn the opposition around. And when they find themselves with a line-break they need a better return from their opportunities. They need to put teams away.

Ireland 44-10 Romania

BBC Sport

Full-time

Romania hold out and they have been gutsy and determined all the way until the final minute.

Getty Images

Ireland 44-10 Romania

Ireland are pounding away at the Romania line as the game ticks into injury time. Tommy Bowe just short.

Denis Hickie

Former Ireland winger on BBC Radio 5 live

Romania have tired at times and lacked quality in areas but they have battled very hard and will be rightfully proud of the effort they have put in. Overall, it has been a solid performance from them.

Converted try

The big second row Ovidiu Tonita barges through the tackle of Ian Madigan and another Ireland defender like saloon doors and stretches out to get across the whitewash.

Well done sir. 

Florin Vlaicu bangs over the extras.  

Ireland 44-3 Romania

Romania are rallying late in the game. You would have a heard heart to begrudge them a score.

They kick a penalty to the corner for a line-out five metres from the Ireland line.

Reuters

Ireland 44-3 Romania

Leinster centre Fergus McFadden - part of Ireland's 2011 World Cup squad - has been impressed by Keith Earls today.

Converted try

One straight off page one of the playbook.

Ireland lob line-out ball long to Jordi Murphy, setting up a driving maul well out of touchline danger and then put the hammer down.

Chris Henry is at the bottom of the pile for his fourth international try.

Ireland 37-3 Romania

A bit of an injury concern for Ireland as Rob Kearney departs. The full-back picked up a knock in scoring his try and Conor Murray is hurriedly stripped down and shoved on to replace him. 

Reuters

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Ireland 37-3 Romania

A picture, within a picture, within a picture, within a picture...

The cameras pick out Romania coach Lynn Howell, with the television monitor in shot showing Howell's face with a television in the background.

A very surreal scene.

Ireland 37-3 Romania

Ireland have now carried the ball further (1,189 metres) than any other team at the 2015 World Cup.

They're also third for the number of carries, and second for carries over the gainline.

Replacement

Florin Surugiu on for Michael Wiringi as Romania make their last change and freshen up the fly-half spot. 

Denis Hickie

Former Ireland winger on BBC Radio 5 live

Ireland really making the man advantage count. A well-executed move down the left from a centre-field scrum.

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Try

Ireland switch the point of attack, diving down the short side like a spitfire squadron.

Ian Madigan loops around to make the extra man, Simon Zebo puts on the after-burner to turn the Romania defence and flips the ball inside to the supporting Rob Kearney for the score.

Madigan is just wide with the conversion.

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Ireland 32-3 Romania

Ireland have spent more than 45% of the match with ball in hand and in Romanian territory, but it's taken them just over an hour to secure the bonus point.

Opta

Denis Hickie

Former Ireland winger on BBC Radio 5 live

Tommy Bowe has really answered his critics. He has scored two tries and been workmanlike all around the pitch.

Converted try

A man down, exhausted by their defensive effort, Romania are sinking fast.

A runaround in midfield draws the attention of their backline and Tommy Bowe is free to dot down in the corner.

Madigan adds the extras with another good kick.

Reuters

Denis Hickie

Former Ireland winger on BBC Radio 5 live

You would expect Ireland to turn the screw now. When you have a player in the bin, statistically you concede 10 points. Ireland will want to capitalise. This could be a very costly piece of indiscipline for Romania.

Sin-bin

So close! Darren Cave slices through the midfield, hand-off like a piston, and is hauled down just short.

Romania centre Csaba Gal has impeded Eoin Reddan and is going to take a 10 minute sit-down as he sees yellow.

Ireland call for the scrum from the penalty.

Replacement

Sean O'Brien and  Sean Cronin come on in place of Jamie Heaslip and Richardt Strauss for Ireland.

Ireland 25-3 Romania

Ooohmph... Florin Ionita is a lucky fella. The video referee looks over the replays and decides that Paddy Jackson, despite an outstretched leg pointing to terra firma, is still in the air.

But the referee decides as it is a marginal call and takes mercy.

Ireland 25-3 Romania

Too eager. Florin Ionita flies into an airbourne Paddy Jackson and that looks like a nailed-on yellow card.

Craig Joubert is going to get the video officials to check over the incident.

Replacement

Ireland make another switch with Paddy Jackson on for Jared Payne. Jackson comes into 10 with Madigan shunting out into the centres.

Romania have made a raft of changes as well with Otar Turashvili, Florin Ionita and Alexandru Tarus on off the bench. 

Ireland 25-3 Romania

As the Romanian tackle count continues to grow, Mihai Macovei and Viorel Lucaci have both now gone into the top 10 tacklers at the World Cup so far. 

Romania's back row have made 45 tackles between them in this game alone.

Replacement

Cian Healy's race is run. A very impressive return to action from the lead-lined prop. He gives way to Jack McGrath.

Ireland 25-3 Romania

With a decent cushion of points to perch on, this is feeling ever more like an attack training session for Ireland.

They are attempting to bang down the door rather than pick the lock still though. A lot of heft and heavy runners rather than guile and glide to their attacks.

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Denis Hickie

Former Ireland winger on BBC Radio 5 live

What a fantastic atmosphere there is in this stadium. It is great to see every game so far so well supported. We are seeing the best of the World Cup here today.

AP

Ireland 25-3 Romania

Today's attendance of 89,267 at Wembley is a World Cup record. Up 248 spectators from the previous record set at the same venue when New Zealand faced Argentina last Sunday.

Inpho

Ireland 25-3 Romania

Rob Kearney has immediately been in the thick of things. A mazy run, full of steps, feints and stutters, is ended by a heavy Romanian tackle.

But he is back on his feet and charges down Adrian Apostol's kick. The ball bounces dead off his arms, but Romania will have to scrum it out five metres from their own line.

Denis Hickie

Former Ireland winger on BBC Radio 5 live

Just the first signs of fatigue from Romania with their kick chase. They didn't have the organisation. The opening 10 minutes have been very loose and that will suit Ireland. The Romanians don't have the game-management skills to take the punch out of this.

Earls equals O'Driscoll record

Inpho

Replacement

A change for Ireland,. Keith Earls, two tries bagged, is off and Rob Kearney is on.

Presumably Kearney will go to full-back and Simon Zebo will switch to the wing.

Yep, that is the way that Ireland are going.

Ireland 25-3 Romania

No-one is looking after the ball out there. Ireland cough up possession, Romania kick it away and neither side has found a pattern. 

A big cheer from the crowd. Nothing to do with anything on the field, everything to do with a new record crowd for a World Cup match. We have a bumper 89,267 packed into Wembley.

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Ireland 25-3 Romania

Ireland with numbers. Cian Healy decides to go alone. He is pulled down in midfield, but has sucked in plenty of Romania defenders.

Ireland again looking menacing.

AP

Ireland 25-3 Romania

Ireland's back three have made more metres in attack (166) than the entire Romanian team (135).

Wing Keith Earls, with two tries, has made 86 of those metres on his own.

Denis Hickie

Former Ireland winger on BBC Radio 5 live

Great start for Ireland. I wasn't sure if it was the right decision looking down the left as I thought Romania had it covered. But the ball bounced up nicely for Earls. That is a dream start to put the Romania heads down.

Reuters

Converted try

A lovely bit of leather from Eoin Reddan as the Ireland scrum-half dinks one off the outside of his boot and into the path of Keith Earls, who scoops up and dots down an awkwardly bouncing ball.

A pretty little score. And Madigan lands the conversion.

Ireland 18-3 Romania

Superb stuff from the Ireland forwards as Jordi Murphy dislodges the ball in the tackle and Cian Healy spots there is no-one at home, hoofing downfield.

Romania tidy up but at the expense of an Ireland line-out in their 22m.

Ireland 18-3 Romania

Ireland with all the momentum after Devin Toner's take, but then Chris Henry has his man in a headlock at the breakdown. Penalty against the Ireland flanker.

Promising build-up, but no knockout punch. The story of the first half continues into the second.

Kick-off

Ian Madigan gets the second half underway as he tickles the drop-out forward and Devin Toner like a charging giraffe, plucks it out the sky!

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Ireland 18-3 Romania

Romania's tackle count has now reached 103, which is indeed more than they had to make in the entire game against France.

Viorel Lucaci tops the charts with 14.

BBC Sport

Ireland 18-3 Romania

Teams are back out for the second half.

The same cannot be said for all the spectators.There must be some queue for the loos.

Ireland 18-3 Romania

Getty

Packing out a 90,000-seater stadium for one of the less competitive Pool games?

Is there anywhere better in the world - in terms of venues, crowds and enthusiasm - to hold a major sporting event than the United Kingdom?

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Ireland 18-3 Romania

BBC

Ireland, who made an extraordinary 732 metres in attack against Canada on the opening weekend, have made a further 312 at Wembley. They've dominated all the early attacking stats, including making 90 carries to 38.  

Ireland 18-3 Romania

Opta

Ireland 18-3 Romania

David Humphreys

Former Ireland fly-half on BBC Radio Ulster

I'll be surprised if Ireland don't win this game by 50 or 60 points. You can see that Romania are already very tired and big gaps are starting to appear in their defence. The only way that Ireland won't win by a 50 or 60-point margin is if they start trying to force things too much. They just need to keeping playing in the same systematic way.

Half-time

BBC

Ireland 18-3 Romania

While Joe Schmidt does his team-talk - I imagine him quietly issuing individual instructions direct to each Ireland player's ear like the horse whisperer - we have some fine half-time reading for you.

Cristian Raducanu, who played for Romania in the 1987 World Cup, used his international rugby career to escape his country's communist regime. 

Ireland 18-3 Romania

A bit of a frustrating afternoon so far for Ireland, who have dominated ball and field position, but have failed to mince the Romania defence as they would like.

This 90,000 crowd came to see some carnage and so far Romania have been largely unscathed.

Denis Hickie

Former Ireland winger on BBC Radio 5 live

You maybe expected Ireland to score more. But they have had 75% of possession meaning Romania have had to do a lot of defending. After playing four days ago, they will tire heavily and Ireland should be able to add to the score. Romania's indiscipline has caused them problems.

Half-time

Reuters

Ireland 18-3 Romania

More sharp work from Tommy Bowe, up above his man to claim a chip ahead and then off-loading in an instant to Simon Zebo.

Ireland in a great position with Romania at sixes and sevens, but Ian Madigan's pass to Cian Healy is bulleted at the prop's thighs and goes forward.

Wasteful.

Ireland 18-3 Romania

Ireland have been sloppy in converting territory and possession into points and prizes.

Cleanly taken line-out, but their rolling maul collapses without the ball getting to the floor and Romania have another turnover.

Denis Hickie

Former Ireland winger on BBC Radio 5 live

Ireland have a clear strategy to keep the pressure on Romania to score tries as opposed to penalties. Romania have had to work hard this half. They will tire considerably in the last 20.

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Ireland 18-3 Romania

Romania number eight Daniel Carpo rescues his side as he picks and goes at the back of a retreating scrum.

However, he is offside moments later and Romania are back under the cosh as Ireland opt to kick into the corner.

Ireland 18-3 Romania

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Prop Cian Healy, playing for the first time since April, is looking as solid as ever. A meaty slap of flesh on flesh as he bounces two Romanians backwards.

He is down momentarily. At ease Ireland fans. Just a contact lens. On he goes.

Denis Hickie

Former Ireland winger on BBC Radio 5 live

The quick ball is killing Romania because they can't get organised. It is why Ireland are running them ragged.

Ireland 18-3 Romania

AP

Keith Earls now has six World Cup tries, just one short of the great Brian O'Driscoll who is Ireland's leading try scorer in the competition.

BOD better enjoy that record while it lasts.

Denis Hickie

Former Ireland winger on BBC Radio 5 live

Great try that all came from powerful running by Earls but what a good pass from Zebo. Earls has been sharp so far in this tournament. All the Ireland players are putting their hands up for selection in future games.

Reuters

Try

Simon Zebo's vision as much as the pace of Keith Earls is what shreds the Romania defence here.

Ireland's full-back spots space wide and does not waste time exploiting it with a long slung mispass. Earls takes it cleanly and scampers into the corner.

Ian Madigan hits the post with the conversion and the ball bounces....wide.

Ireland 13-3 Romania

Echos of Twickenham last night as the crowd are left deflated by a fluffed line-out.

Ireland attempt to shift the ball on landing, but succeed only in getting in each other's way and incurring an accidental offside.

Romania to clear their lines.

Ireland 13-3 Romania

Ireland wing Simon Zebo has had a barnstorming first 25 minutes, carrying the ball eight times and topping the charts for metres travelled, defenders beaten and clean breaks made.

BBC Sport

Ireland 13-3 Romania

Ireland with a penalty advantage on the Romania 22m. Jared Payne tries to pick out Tommy Bowe with a chip into the corner. Overcooked. Back for the penalty.

And Ireland opts to kick for the corner rather than the posts. And the crowd approve.

Denis Hickie

Former Ireland winger on BBC Radio 5 live

One of the big problems for the tier-two nations is discipline in and around the ruck area in both defence and attack. They can concede points but it also prevents them building momentum, giving away a penalty after a couple of phases.

Ireland 13-3 Romania

AP

Flanker Chris Henry with a fine piece of breakdown burglary, gets his mitts on the ball and strips it from the fallen Romanian before his team-mates can arrive. 

Romania are still hitting big though. Ovidiu Tonita thumps into Darren Cave to knock the ball loose.

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Ryan and Jo: Sitting in Lake Garda, Italy. Day two of honeymoon. On a bus in a traffic jam, road closed due to accident. Can't get radio/TV connection. BBC Sport website you are all we have! Come on IRELAND.

Ireland 13-3 Romania

Ireland have enjoyed the lion's share of possession and territory in the opening and deservedly lead by 10 points.

Opta

Denis Hickie

Former Ireland winger on BBC Radio 5 live

Just what Ireland and Tommy Bowe needed. This is a huge game for him and he will be happy to be on the scoreboard early from what was a speculative kick and chase. It is no less than Ireland deserve. They have dominated so far.

Converted try

It is a great finish.

Tommy Bowe stepped hard inside as a covering Romanian defender charged across to try and bundle him into touch.

The resulting collision spits him forward rather than sideways and keeps him clear of the line long enough to get the ball down for the score.

Ian Madigan adds the extras with a pinpoint kick from way out of town on the touchline.

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Try review

Tommy Bowe dives into the corner after good work from Keith Earls.

It is a close call. Too close for the naked eye.

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Denis Hickie

Former Ireland winger on BBC Radio 5 live

Ireland will be looking now to get back down straight away. One of my worries about Ireland is that they play a lot of rugby in their own half. They will probably get away with it today. But I would like to see them play more in the Romania half and Madigan use his skilful kicking game.

Penalty

AP

Nearly a quarter of the match gone and this is kick-fest nip and tuck rather than a try bonanza.

Ian Madigan steps up to slot and put Ireland back in front.

Denis Hickie

Former Ireland winger on BBC Radio 5 live

As long as the decision that gets made is the right one. And this is the correct decision. Everyone wants to see individual skill like that rewarded but if you are Romania you are happy that the right call was made.

Try review

Reuters

Simon Zebo was already trotting back to halfway, Ian Madigan was calling for the tee, but the video official turns Columbo and wants a look at one last thing.

The Ireland full-back is denied a fine score as the replay shows he had a toe in touch as he regained his own grubber ahead before dotting down.

No score.

Ireland 3-3 Romania

Clean ball off the top of the line-out for Romania. Needlessly kicked away. But Ireland are careless, handing possession straight back.

After a torrid first five minutes, the underdogs are resting their tackling shoulders and bringing their hands into play. 

Denis Hickie

Former Ireland winger on BBC Radio 5 live

A very good kick from Romania. Joe Schmidt will be disappointed that for all the pressure Ireland have had they are level.

Penalty

Jared Payne is caught at the bottom of the ruck. He says he is doing all he can to roll away.

Craig Joubert disagrees and blows for a Romania penalty.

And Valentin Calafeteanu steps up to ping through the middle from out wide and decent distance.

David Humphreys

Former Ireland fly-half

Ian Madigan keeping the impressive goal-kicking at this World Cup going with that fine effort from distance. Romania are going to concede tries early on here if they keep kicking the ball away like they are at the moment.

Denis Hickie

Former Ireland winger on BBC Radio 5 live

Getty Images

It is probably about 80% possession to Ireland. Romania will take the three-point hit and have a breather. All the play has been in their half so far. They will be tired from having played four days ago.

Penalty

Ian Madigan gives it a mighty hoof, but keeps his accuracy. Through the sticks it goes and the first chorus of Fields of Athenry rises from the stands.

It won't be the last.

Ireland 3-0 Romania

Romania have had to make 41 tackles in the opening five minutes at Wembley - already more than a third of the amount (101) they made in the entire game against France.

Ireland 0-0 Romania

An offside in midfield as Romania get ragged and out of shape.

Up goes the referee's arm and Ian Madigan will have a pot at goal. Central, just outside the Romania 10m line...

Ireland 0-0 Romania

Nice stuff from Tommy Bowe. The wing needs to impress after getting shown up by Jonny May in the warm-up match against England and that is more like it.

He reads Csaba Gal's nothing-much grubber, scooping up and then punting down a fine angle to find touch inside the Romania 22m.

Denis Hickie

Former Ireland winger on BBC Radio 5 live

We have learned two things from that opening. Ireland are playing with a lot of width. And the Romanian defence is strong. But if Romania have to defend as much as this over the rest of the match, this will prove to be a total mismatch.

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Ireland 0-0 Romania

Romania looked like they were being worked over with Ireland running through the phases and up to sniffing distance of the whitewash, but the ball spills forward from green hands. 

Romania dive on it for some much-needed possession before scrum-half Valentin Calafeteanu box-kicks clear.

Ireland 0-0 Romania

Simon Zebo, playing at full-back today, shows a nice step, but is scragged by the second Romanian defender.

Jared Payne is up to within 15m of the Romania line with a cute angle. 

A try is brewing...and Romania have hardly touched the ball.

Getty Images

Ireland 0-0 Romania

Ireland spin wide early and already there is some space to exploit. Tommy Bowe pulled to the floor, but Ireland have made yards and are rolling forward ominously.

Kick-off

Craig Joubert blasts a toot on the whistle and we are underway with Keith Earls taking the Romanian kick-off.

Reuters

Reuters

Out for the anthems. Wembley packed to the stratosphere. Not an empty seat to be seen, even in the nose-bleed third tier.

Ireland blast out Ireland's Call. Romania's tune, as a colleague notes, sounds like the soundtrack to the apocalypse. A very heavy string section certainly.

Interesting dressing-room scenes as the two teams prepare to step out into a 90,000-strong St Patrick's Day Parade.

Jamie Heaslip and his Ireland team stand in a circle, but separate, staring each other out as the final words are spoken.

Romania are in the traditional tight huddle, finishing with an American-style 'all hands into the middle' crescendo.

Not sure about that... 

This is how we stand in Pool D.

France picked up a bonus point in their win over Romania but failed to do so in their victory over Italy.

If Ireland score four tries and win - both of which they should do - they will go top.

Winning this group could be crucial. 

Come second and you are likely to find yourself paired with the All Blacks in the last eight. 

Top it and you have a shot at Argentina, maybe even Tonga or Georgia, for a semi-final place.

BBC

Denis Hickie

Former Ireland winger on BBC Radio 5 live

PA

There is a lot of talk about Joe Schmidt as coach. But coaches don't win World Cups, players win them. The players are the ones who have to deliver. The Ireland team is as well-prepared as it needs to be.

Opportunity knocks for Bowe and Earls

Ireland coach Joe Schmidt retains only Jared Payne, Keith Earls and Jamie Heaslip from the side which defeated Canada 50-7 in the Pool D opener at the Millennium Stadium.

Tommy Bowe is back for Ireland after his warm-up game nightmare at Twickenham while Simon Zebo is another whose hopes of featuring extensively at this World Cup could be defined by this afternoon’s contest. Romania’s Welsh coach Lynn Howells makes eight changes from Wednesday’s 38-11 defeat by France with scrum-half Valentin Calafeteanu likely to assume the kicking duties from benched Florin Vlaicu. Only Paulica Ion survives from the front row which enjoyed some notable early success against the France scrum in the Olympic Stadium.

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Cold War turnover

BBC Sport

There is less than 10 minutes to kick-off - just enough time to take a quick return trip over to this excellent feature on former Romania forward Cristian Raducanu who walked out of a post-match meal and changed his life forever.

An incredible story. 

PA

Judging by the tie, this Ireland fan is keen to distinguish themselves from any 'plastic paddies' jumping on the bandwagon for the afternoon.

 I think he protests too much.

Denis Hickie

Former Ireland winger

"I expect a strong opening 20 minutes from Romania. They have a capable pack as they showed against France but their backline is made up mainly of players in the Romanian league so you would think that overall Ireland should prove far too good today.

"It is an important day for several Irish players including Tommy Bowe and Simon Zebo who will be hoping to convince Joe Schmidt that they should be in contention for the tougher tests that lie ahead.

Romania team news

Romania are without flanker Valentin Ursache, who has been banned for a week following a dangerous tackle on Morgan Parra during his team's 38-11 defeat by France on Wednesday.

The 30-year-old, selected at blind-side flanker before the ban was imposed, is replaced by Viorel Lucaci.

Lock Ovidiu Tonita equals the national record of 14 Rugby World Cup appearances as part of a starting line-up which has won a total of 710 caps - the most ever by a Romania team at the tournament.

BBC

BBC

Ireland team news

Ireland coach Joe Schmidt has made 12 changes to his starting line-up - naming the nation's oldest starting XV in World Cup history.

Robbie Henshaw is not included despite the centre's return to fitness after a hamstring strain that ruled him out of the 50-7 win over Canada on Saturday.

But prop Cian Healy makes his first start this season after a neck injury.

Simon Zebo, Tommy Bowe and Darren Cave come into the backline, with fly-half Ian Madigan getting the nod over Paddy Jackson to partner Eoin Reddan.

BBC

Ireland defeated Romania by 30 and 28-point margins at the 1999 and 2003 World Cups.

Joe Schmidt feels he has enough in reserve to rest a few of his first-choice picks.

Here is the team news...

World Cup memories

John Haughey

BBC Sport NI at Wembley

Ireland and Romania are back in a World Cup cauldron 25 years after Packie Bonner and David O’Leary’s heroics ensured one of the Emerald Isle’s most memorable sporting moments.

Bonner’s save to deny Daniel Timofte during the tense penalty shoot-out in the Italia ’90 second-round game in Genoa was followed by O’Leary holding his nerve as Jack Charlton’s Republic of Ireland progressed to a quarter-final against hosts Italy in Rome.

Toto Schillaci’s goal ended that Irish team’s World Cup odyssey at the last-eight stage.

Ireland rugby fans are hoping their 2015 heroes go at least one step further in this World Cup. 

Inpho

Full house at Wembley

Inpho

Next up is Romania under Wembley Stadium's arch.

The English capital's Irish ex-pats will turn one corner of the north circular green for the afternoon.

Canada chopped

Getty Images

Ireland have arrived at past World Cups with high expectations.

In 2007, with peak Brian O'Driscoll, Gordon D'Arcy and Paul O'Connell, they failed to get out of their group. 

This time the current Six Nations champions are playing it in the style of their coach Joe Schmidt - a man so low on melodrama that he carries out post-match interviews with a burst appendix.

A 50-7 win over Canada in their opening match was the sort of cold-blooded clinical performance that has become their hallmark under Schmidt. 

Getty Images

As well as the tackle pads, strapping and heat spray, Ireland coach Joe Schmidt packed a clock and dagger for this World Cup.

"He didn't want to show their hand," saidBrian O'Driscoll of Ireland's preparations for this tournament.

"They were trying to get under the radar. Any time there was an open session, they would do defensive sets or fitness. 

"No one was allowed at the training base in Carton House. People wandering up and watching sessions...that's gone."

Stealthy, stealthy, catchy trophy?