AS widely anticipated, Ireland rugby coach Andy Farrell has made only an enforced change to his side for Saturday’s RBS Six Nations Championship clash with France at a long sold-out Aviva Stadium on Saturday.
Dan Sheehan has been ruled out for the visit of the Grand Slam champions, with Rob Herring taking his place in the starting team.
The rest of the team, which includes Munster trio Conor Murray, Tadhg Beirne and Peter O’Mahony, is unchanged from last week’s win in Cardiff, while Rónan Kelleher returns to the replacements’ bench after missing the weekend with a hamstring injury.
Also amongst the replacements are Munster pair Dave Kilcoyne, who is line to win his 50th international cap, and Craig Casey.
Ireland: Hugo Keenan; Mack Hansen, Garry Ringrose, Stuart McCloskey, James Lowe; Johnny Sexton (capt), Conor Murray; Andrew Porter, Rob Herring, Finlay Bealham; Tadhg Beirne, James Ryan; Peter O’Mahony, Josh van der Flier, Caelan Doris.
Replacements: Rónan Kelleher, Dave Kilcoyne, Tom O’Toole, Iain Henderson, Jack Conan, Craig Casey, Ross Byrne, Bundee Aki.
