Paddy Jackson has been named to start at out-half for Ireland in the upcoming Six Nations clash with France.
Paddy Jackson will earn his second Ireland cap when he lines out at no. 10 for the second successive Six Nations game. Jackson had been struggling with a hamstring injury throughout the week, forcing Kidney to name A. N. Other in his team-sheet.
However, Jackson came through Irish kicking and training sessions unscathed and is fit to start against Les Bleus on Saturday.
It had been mooted that Ronan O’ Gara would make a return to the squad as a replacement if Jackson succumbed to the hamstring injury, but that is no longer the case. Leinster’s Ian Madigan has been named on the bench and is in line to make his senior bow should he be introduced.
Stephen Archer’s recent performances for Munster have been rewarded, with the uncapped prop being named as a replacement at tight-head.
The Ireland team to play France in the Aviva Stadium on Saturday is as follows;
15 – Rob Kearney (UCD/Leinster/44)
14 – Fergus McFadden (Old Belvedere/Leinster/16)
13 – Brian O’Driscoll (UCD/Leinster/123)
12 – Luke Marshall (Ballymena/Ulster/1)
11 – Keith Earls (Young Munster/Munster/37)
10 – Paddy Jackson (Dungannon/Ulster/1)
9 – Conor Murray (Garryowen/Munster/17)
1 – Cian Healy (Clontarf/Leinster/37)
2 – Rory Best (Banbridge/Ulster/65)
3 – Mike Ross (Clontarf/Leinster/27)
4 – Mike McCarthy (Buccaneers/Connacht/8)
5 – Donnacha Ryan (Shannon/Munster/26)
6 – Peter O’Mahony (Cork Constitution/Munster/12)
7 – Sean O’Brien (UCD/Leinster/25)
8 – Jamie Heaslip (Dublin University/Leinster/55) Captain
Replacements:
16 – Sean Cronin (St. Mary’s College/Leinster/24)
17 – David Kilcoyne (UL Bohemians/Munster/5)
18 – Stephen Archer (Cork Constitution/Munster/)*
19 – Donncha O’Callaghan (Cork Constitution/Munster/93)
20 – Iain Henderson (Ballynahinch/Ulster/3)
21 – Eoin Reddan (Lansdowne/Leinster/49)
22 – Ian Madigan (Blackrock College/Leinster)*
23 – Luke Fitzgerald (Blackrock College /Leinster/24)
