Ireland head coach Declan Kidney has named his starting line-up for this Saturday’s Round 2 RBS 6 Nations clash against France at the Stade de France.

Keith Earls will start on the left wing in place of Andrew Trimble who picked up an injury in the opening game against Italy. The Ulster man is ruled out having aggravated his hamstring.

Meanwhile Earl’s Munster colleague Donncha O’Callaghan who was in contention to partner Paul O’Connell in the second row has failed to recover from the knock that ruled him out last weekend. This means Leinster’s Lion Leo Cullen continues to hold a starting berth in the Ireland XV.

Flanker Stephen Ferris has been named in the side subject to a further fitness test later in the week. Kevin McLaughlin will start if Ferris is unable to play.

Ferris has been out with a knee injury since Ulster’s game against Bath and has yet to play a full part in training.

15 – Rob Kearney (UCD/Leinster)

14 – Tommy Bowe (Ospreys)

13 – Brian O’Driscoll (UCD/Leinster) (capt)

12 – Gordon D’Arcy (Lansdowne/Leinster)

11 – Keith Earls (Young Munster/Munster)

10 – Ronan O’Gara (Cork Constitution/Munster)

9 – Tomas O’Leary (Dolphin/Munster)

1 – Cian Healy (Clontarf/Leinster)

2 – Jerry Flannery (Shannon/Munster)

3 – John Hayes (Bruff/Munster)

4 – Leo Cullen (Blackrock College/Leinster)

5 – Paul O’Connell (Young Munster/Munster)

6 – A.N.Other

7 – David Wallace (Garryowen/Munster)

8 – Jamie Heaslip (Naas/Leinster)

Replacements:

Rory Best (Banbridge/Ulster)

Tom Court (Malone/Ulster)

Donnacha Ryan (Shannon/Munster)

Sean O’Brien (Clontarf/Leinster)

Kevin McLaughlin (St. Mary’s College/Leinster)

Eoin Reddan (Lansdowne/Leinster)

Jonathan Sexton (St. Mary’s College/Leinster

Paddy Wallace (Ballymena/Ulster)

Andrew Trimble (Ballymena/Ulster)

Comments are closed.