Posted on Tuesday, February 09, 2010 at 10:09 AM
Irish rugby coach Declan Kidney names his starting team to face France
Declan Kidney has named the Irish team to play
France in
Paris this weekend.
Despite
Jonathan Sexton returning to fitness, Kidney has decided to stick with
Munster's
Ronan O’
Gara at out half, with the
Leinster number 10 taking a place on the bench.
Kidney has replaced Andrew
Trimble with
Keith Earls on the wing, and
Rob Kearney keeps his place at full back after one of his worst games in an Irish jersey against the Italians last weekend.
Kidney has left the blindside flanker spot open as he gives
Stephen Ferris (pictured above) every chance to prove his fitness before the weekend.
Ireland team to play France:
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), 9 - Tomas
O'Leary (Dolphin/Munster), 10 -
Ronan O'Gara (
Cork Constitution/Munster), 11 - Keith Earls (Young Munster/Munster), 12 -
Gordon D'Arcy (
Lansdowne/
Leinster), 13 - Brian
O'Driscoll (
UCD/
Leinster) (capt), 14 - Tommy
Bowe (Ospreys), 15 - Rob Kearney (UCD/
Leinster)