Rugby World Cup

10 players in the starting line-up have previous World Cup experience for the 'Ikale Tahi, with another three on the bench.

However, only five players remain in the run-on side from Tonga's most recent World Cup clash - a famous win over France in Wellington four years ago.

Captain Nili Latu is back after missing the 2011 tournament and will equal the record of most caps for Tonga when he takes the field for the 41st time in the red jersey.

Elvis Taione, Tevita Mailau, Sitiveni Mafi, Sonatane Takulua and Telusa Veaninu will make their World Cup debuts.

Fiji is on its best unbeaten run in this century, Tonga is enjoying its best string of results in a dozen years, and the Samoa players have peace of mind.

The way the Fijians dismantled Canada in their last warm-up match even has some believing Fiji is a threat in the toughest of the groups, featuring top-five teams Australia, England, and Wales.

“We can shock the world,” winger Nemani Nadolo says seriously.

Coach Mana 'Otai named a strong Tonga team and they went 7-0 up midway through the first half when flyhalf Kurt Morath, who missed a penalty earlier, scored a try and booted the conversion.

Romania hit back with two penalties from flyhalf Florin Vlaicu, the country's all-time leading points scorer, and went to the break trailing 10-6.

The visitors grew even more confident in the second half and scrumhalf Sonatane Takulua touched down before hooker Andrei Radoi replied with a try for the home team.

The 'Ikale Tahi take on Romania in Bucharest Sunday morning.

Coach Mana Otai has made nine changes to the starting fifteen, in an effort to give the full squad game-time ahead of the World Cup.

He says Romania is an ideal team to come up against before playing Georgia in two weeks time.

Cook Islands won the biennial event two years ago but will not defend their title, choosing to focus their limited resources on November's Olympic Sevens Qualifier.

Newcomers American Samoa open proceedings against Solomon Islands at Sir Hubert Murray Stadium, followed by hosts Papua New Guinea against Tahiti, in the first round of matches.

The General Manager of Rugby PNG, Frank Genia, says pride and silverware aren't the only things on up for grabs.

Manu Samoa coach Stephen Betham has made six changes to his starting side to face Canada in Toronto.

Viliamu Afatia, Iosefa Tekori and Faifili Levave get a start in the pack with local lad Faialaga Afamasaga getting a chance in the number 12 jersey.

The other two changes from the team that drew with Fiji is the return of Sinoti Sinoti and Ah See Tuala out wide.

Stephen Betham says this is the coaching team's final opportunity to test combinations and to give some players more game time.

A total of 40,000 tickets are currently on sale at tickets.rugbyworldcup.com and a further 100,000 additional tickets will go on sale Monday (July 27).

More than 2.15 million have already sold.

The additional tickets are a mixture of extra seats from the completion of venue configuration, handbacks from the Rugby World Cup Limited commercial programme, and tickets that have been registered for re-sale from fans who can no longer use their tickets.

He said rugby was a key national sport and united a nation.

Speaking at the opening of the FRU development workshop at the Outrigger on the Lagoon Fiji Monday,  Bainimarama said Fiji was blessed with a massive amount of local talent and resources.

He said provincial union leaders were the ones who would eventually take the Fijian brand of rugby to another level.