Jonathan Sexton
Ireland flyhalf Jonathan Sexton will play his first game in 12 weeks, after coach Joe Schmidt took a gamble to start him in the defending champion’s Six Nations clash with France at Lansdowne Road on Saturday.
The 29-year-old – who has not played since the victory over Australia on 22 November after suffering a third concussion in a calendar year – replaces Ian Keatley, who played in the opening 26 / 3 victory over Italy last Saturday.
Fellow veterans, No 8 Jamie Heaslip and flank Sean O’Brien, also return to the starting fifteen – the former after recovering from shoulder and knee injuries and the latter will play his first Test since the heroic loss to world champions New Zealand in November 2013.
O’Brien, who has played just 50 minutes of rugby since September last year, would have played in the Italy game but for feeling a pain in his hamstring in the match warm-up.
The player who replaced him in the starting line-up for the Italy game Tommy O’Donnell like Keatley did little wrong in the match – indeed the former scored a try – but both drop out of the matchday 23.
Ireland’s most capped hooker – is able to start after being taken off early in the second-half of the Italy game with concussion.
There is a recall to the bench for the experienced prop Cian Healy, who hasn’t played test rugby since Ireland clinched the Six Nations title, on icon Brian O’Driscoll’s final international, with victory over the French in Paris last March.
Ireland are bidding to win their 9th successive match against a France team who also started the Six Nations with victory, at home to Scotland, but who have won just 3 times away from home since coach Philippe Saint-Andre took over after the 2011 World Cup final.
However, the last 3 games between the 2 sides have been tight affairs, 2 draws before Ireland – who will be captained by legendary lock Paul O’Connell winning his 98th cap – prevailed 22 / 20 in Paris.
Ireland: 15 Rob Kearney, 14 Tommy Bowe, 13 Jared Payne, 12 Robbie Henshaw, 11 Simon Zebo, 10 Jonathan Sexton, 9 Conor Murray, 8 Jamie Heaslip, 7 Sean O’Brien, 6 Peter O’Mahony, 5 Paul O’Connell (Captain), 4 Devin Toner, 3 Mike Ross, 2 Rory Best, 1 Jack McGrath
Replacements: 16 Sean Cronin, 17 Cian Healy, 18 Martin Moore, 19 Iain Henderson, 20 Jordi Murphy, 21 Isaac Boss, 22 Ian Madigan, 23 Felix Jones.
Date: Saturday 14 February
Venue: Aviva Stadium, Dublin
Kick-Off: 19:00 SA Time (17:00 BST & GMT, 18:00 French Time)
Referee: Wayne Barnes (England)
Assistant Referees: Nigel Owens (Wales), Leighton Hodges (Wales)
TMO: Graham Hughes (England)
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