Consistently-excellent loosehead Cian Healy will win his 100th Ireland cap at the Stade de France, becoming the third front rower to do so after his former team-mates, John Hayes and Rory Best.
Irish Rugby’s latest centurion will be joined up front, in an unchanged pack, by Rob Herring and Andrew Porter who are both facing France for the first time in their Test careers.
James Ryan, who was part of the 2018 and 2019 Championship wins over the French, and Tadhg Beirne continue together at lock, while Caelan Doris, Will Connors, last week’s player-of-the-match on his debut, and CJ Stander complete the forwards.
There is one change in the back-line with Athlone man Robbie Henshaw replacing the injured Garry Ringrose, as he did during the first half of last Saturday’s 50-17 bonus point win over Italy.
Henshaw will partner his former Connacht colleague Bundee Aki, and captain Jonathan Sexton and scrum half Conor Murray make it the same midfield and half-back axis from that dramatic 15-13 victory in Paris two years ago.
Hugo Keenan will be hoping to add to his debut brace of tries in an unchanged back-three, with Andrew Conway on the right wing and Jacob Stockdale making his second successive start in the full-back position.
Munster’s Chris Farrell is added to the replacements bench alongside Dave Heffernan, one of Ireland’s second half try scorers against Italy, Ed Byrne, Finlay Bealham, Ultan Dillane, Peter O’Mahony, Jamison Gibson-Park and Ross Byrne.
Paying tribute to 100-cap prop Healy and speaking about les Bleus, head coach Farrell said: “The key word in describing Cian is resilience and any top player, I don’t think they ever quite get comfortable enough to think that selection is just going to happen.
What has driven Cian on to win a hundred caps is fight to keep on improving. Over time he has understood himself and his body.
“Like any top, top professional who ends up getting to this milestone and unbelievable feat, he has been unbelievably professional in how he has looked after himself and driven himself to try and get to this point.
“We honestly feel it is a privilege to be involved in this occasion with Cian. I feel incredibly fortunate that I am able to select him for his hundredth.”
He added: “France are so dangerous, so there’s no point scoring four tries and them scoring six, we won’t get reward from that. So we’ll stick to the plan and see how it unfolds, and hopefully we can try to put enough pressure on the game to try to open it up somewhere along the line.
“But it’s a tough old task, isn’t it? We know what they are capable of, watching them last weekend (beating Wales at the Stade de France) they are a formidable side with threats all over the field.”
Meanwhile, France head coach Fabien Galthié has opted to add Montpellier youngster Arthur Vincent to his midfield, as an indirect replacement for the injured Teddy Thomas (hamstring).
Vincent’s inclusion is the only personnel change to the side that won 38-21 against Wales last week. The 21-year-old is reunited with Virimi Vakatawa, his centre partner from the earlier Six Nations games against Wales and Scotland.
Stade Francais’ Gael Fickou reverts to the left wing where he played earlier in the year, with Vincent Rattez now stationed on the right.
Galthié commented: “There are several elements that came into play, such as the essential collective experience at international level. Gael has already played on the wing and yesterday’s training session convinced us.
“Another element is the Irish team’s strategy with offensive kicking, with Johnny Sexton’s right boot across the pitch or the box kicks on our wing.”
Anthony Bouthier is fit for his sixth consecutive start at full-back, having come through the return-to-play protocols following his head injury against the Welsh last Saturday.
Of the starting pack, only Cyril Baille and Bernard le Roux have started against Ireland before. Toulon flanker Charles Ollivon captains a squad with an average age of 25 and a caps average of 16.
Guinness Six Nations Fixtures/Results
FRANCE: Anthony Bouthier (Montpellier); Vincent Rattez (Montpellier), Virimi Vakatawa (Racing 92), Arthur Vincent (Montpellier), Gael Fickou (Stade Francais); Romain Ntamack (Toulouse), Antoine Dupont (Toulouse); Cyril Baille (Toulouse), Julien Marchand (Toulouse), Mohamed Haouas (Montpellier), Bernard le Roux (Racing 92), Paul Willemse (Montpellier), Francois Cros (Toulouse), Charles Ollivon (Toulon) (capt), Gregory Alldritt (La Rochelle).
Replacements: Camille Chat (Racing 92), Jean-Baptiste Gros (Toulon), Demba Bamba (Lyon), Romain Taofifenua (Toulon), Dylan Cretin (Lyon), Baptiste Serin (Toulon), Arthur Retiere (La Rochelle), Thomas Ramos (Toulouse).
IRELAND: Jacob Stockdale (Lurgan/Ulster); Andrew Conway (Garryowen/Munster), Robbie Henshaw (Buccaneers/Leinster), Bundee Aki (Galwegians/Connacht), Hugo Keenan (UCD/Leinster); Jonathan Sexton (St. Mary’s College/Leinster) (capt), Conor Murray (Garryowen/Munster); Cian Healy (Clontarf/Leinster), Rob Herring (Ballynahinch/Ulster), Andrew Porter (UCD/Leinster), Tadhg Beirne (Lansdowne/Munster), James Ryan (UCD/Leinster), Caelan Doris (UCD/Leinster), Will Connors (UCD/Leinster), CJ Stander (Shannon/Munster).
Replacements: Dave Heffernan (Buccaneers/Connacht), Ed Byrne (UCD/Leinster), Finlay Bealham (Buccaneers/Connacht), Ultan Dillane (Galway Corinthians/Connacht), Peter O’Mahony (Cork Constitution/Munster), Jamison Gibson-Park (Leinster), Ross Byrne (UCD/Leinster), Chris Farrell (Young Munster/Munster).
Referee: Wayne Barnes (England)
Assistant Referees: Matthew Carley, Karl Dickson (both England)
Television Match Official: Luke Pearce (England)
Pre-Match Quotes: Jonathan Sexton (Ireland) –
A lot has happened since the French game in 2018. It does feel like a long, long time ago, but it’s great to be back in that situation now where we’ve got a trophy on the line.
“We know it’s in our own hands in many ways, no matter what happens in the games before it. We’ll still be going onto the pitch being able to win the trophy, which is what you play for. You train hard for these big days.
“We’re looking forward to it now and like I said, we’re just trying to concentrate on our performance. Make sure if we can get that right, it gives us a chance.
“I think just their ability to score out of nothing. That points to the individual flair that they have. (Antoine) Dupont, (Romain) Ntamack at half-back. You saw them against Wales last weekend. It looks like Wales are defending well and out of nowhere, they’re gone,” he noted.
(Virimi) Vakatawa has obviously been in great form. (Gael) Fickou has been doing well. From a backs’ point of view, they’ve just got threats throughout.
“We’re just going to have to be unbelievably connected and together (in defence), because if you show them those big gaps, they’re through it pretty quick.
“Then up front they’ve got power. They’ve got big men and lots of power. It’s a big ask, we know that, but we’re preparing ourselves for a big performance.”
Romain Ntamack (France) –
Johnny (Sexton) is a role model for me and I believe for lots of players. He is world class and maybe the best out-half of the decade.
“He proves that every weekend either for his province or his country. He is tireless and has enormous experience. He may be a role model for me but this weekend it is imperative I do not allow him the freedom to do what he does best.
“Above all I cannot stand by watching him and allowing to play, because if I do things will become very difficult for us.
“We have focused on them (Sexton and Conor Murray) since the beginning of the week. We know all too well that the whole of Ireland’s game-plan is orchestrated by them and we have to be extremely vigilant.
“Of course Ireland have good players littered throughout their side, but we have to pay extra close attention on those two and above all put pressure on them from the start.”
Pre-Match Links –
Head-To-Head: Ireland v France
In Pics: Cian Healy – One Hundred Caps
In Pics: Ireland Captain’s Run In Paris
Farrell Hails Healy’s Resilience Ahead Of 100th Cap
Easterby: Getting Off To A Good Start Will Be Crucial
Recent Meetings –
2017: RBS 6 Nations: Ireland 19 France 9, Aviva Stadium
2018: NatWest 6 Nations: France 13 Ireland 15, Stade de France
2019: Guinness Six Nations: Ireland 26 France 14, Aviva Stadium
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