The world’s top two sides will face off in Dublin in a titanic clash as Ireland play host to Grand Slam champions France in Round 2 of the Guinness Six Nations.
This time last year, Les Bleus won 30-24 at the Stade de France in this fixture, which ended up deciding the Championship.
Now they will head to Dublin looking to make it four wins in a row against Ireland, although their last victory at the Aviva Stadium came without crowds, which will certainly not be the case on Saturday.
Ireland team news
Ireland coach Andy Farrell has made one change to the side that eased past Wales in Round 1, with Rob Herring coming into the starting line-up for the injured Dan Sheehan.
The hooker came off the bench in Cardiff and will now wear the No.2 jersey, as he did four times during the 2021 Championship.
With Sheehan out, Ronan Kelleher makes his return to the matchday 23 as hooker cover on the bench.
After missing the opening victory, Tadhg Furlong, Jamison Gibson-Park and Cian Healy were all ruled out of this Round 2 meeting, but Ireland will still be able to put out a formidable side.
Conor Murray and skipper Johnny Sexton form a vastly experienced half-back pairing, while Stuart McCloskey and Garry Ringrose will again link up in midfield.
And after two members of the back row crossed in the win in Cardiff, it is an unchanged trio of Peter O’Mahony, Josh van der Flier and Caelan Doris, who will start.
Ireland team to face France: 15. Hugo Keenan, 14. Mack Hansen, 13. Garry Ringrose, 12. Stuart McCloskey, 11. James Lowe, 10. Johnny Sexton (c), 9. Conor Murray; 1. Andrew Porter, 2. Rob Herring, 3. Finlay Bealham, 4. Tadhg Beirne, 5. James Ryan, 6. Peter O’Mahony, 7. Josh van der Flier, 8. Caelan Doris
Replacements: 16. Ronan Kelleher, 17. Dave Kilcoyne, 18. Tom O’Toole, 19. Iain Henderson, 20. Jack Conan, 21. Craig Casey, 22. Ross Byrne, 23. Bundee Aki
France team news
Fabien Galthié has been remarkably consistent with his team selection since taking over as France coach and that has not changed for the trip to take on the world’s top side.
Les Bleus, who have spent the week in Rome before flying directly to Dublin, will start with the same XV that kicked off their campaign against Italy, captained once more by Antoine Dupont, who will form the half-back pairing with Romain Ntamack.
The only two changes to the matchday 23 come on the bench, where François Cros and Baptiste Couilloud replace Thomas Lavault and Nolann Le Garrec respectively.
Cros has been recovering from a knee injury which kept him out of the Autumn Nations Series, and slots in for Lavault, who did not feature off the bench in Rome.
It is a similar story for Couilloud, who has been out since December, but is now fit and gets the nod over Le Garrec, another unused replacement in Rome, who will have to wait a little longer for his Test debut.
France team to face Ireland: 15 Thomas Ramos, 14 Damian Penaud, 13 Gaël Fickou, 12 Yoram Moefana, 11 Ethan Dumortier, 10 Romain Ntamack, 9 Antoine Dupont (c), 1 Cyril Baille, 2 Julien Marchand, 3 Uini Atonio, 4 Thibaud Flament, 5 Paul Willemse, 6 Anthony Jelonch, 7 Charles Ollivon, 8 Grégory Alldritt
Replacements: 16 Gaëtan Barlot, 17 Reda Wardi, 18 Sipili Falatea, 19 Romain Taofifenua, 20 François Cros, 21 Sekou Macalou, 22 Baptiste Couilloud, 23 Matthieu Jalibert
