France v Ireland, Six Nations, March 4
Same again for Ireland
ESPNscrum Staff
February 29, 2012
Ireland's Gordon D'Arcy makes a break, Ireland v Italy, Six Nations, Aviva Stadium, Dublin, Ireland, February 25, 2012
Gordon D'Arcy has recovered from a knock to start for Ireland © Getty Images
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Tournaments/Tours: Six Nations
Teams: France | Ireland

Ireland boss Declan Kidney has kept faith in his side for Sunday's Six Nations clash with France, naming an unchanged selection from the one that routed Italy last time out.

Munster lock Paul O'Connell again leads the team after a strong showing against the Azzurri, while Kidney has resisted the urge to tinker at halfback.

Conor Murray retains the scrum-half berth despite some recent criticism of his form, with Jonny Sexton at No.10 and Eoin Reddan alongside Ronan O'Gara - who last weekend became Ireland's most-capped player - on the bench.

Wingers Tommy Bowe and Andrew Trimble were both among the tries against Italy, and Keith Earls continues to deputise for Brian O'Driscoll in the No.13 jersey.

Fitness concerns over fullback Rob Kearney, flanker Sean O'Brien, centre Gordon D'Arcy and prop Cian Healy have been dismissed by the medical staff, and all four take their place in the starting line-up.

Ireland: R Kearney (Leinster); T Bowe (Ospreys), K Earls (Munster), G D'Arcy (Leinster), A Trimble (Ulster); J Sexton (Leinster), C Murray (Munster); C Healy (Leinster), R Best (Ulster), M Ross (Leinster), D O'Callaghan (Munster), P O'Connell (Munster), S Ferris (Ulster), S O'Brien (Leinster), J Heaslip (Leinster)

Replacements: S Cronin (Leinster), T Court (Ulster), D Ryan (Munster), P O'Mahony (Munster), E Reddan (Leinster), R O'Gara (Munster), F McFadden (Leinster)

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