Jamie Heaslip starts for Ireland © PA Photos

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Matches: Ireland 22 - 25 France

Tournaments/Tours: Six Nations

Teams: France | Ireland

Leinster No.8 Jamie Heaslip returns to bolster Ireland's back-row for their Six Nations showdown against France at Lansdowne Road on Sunday.

The British & Irish Lion sat out last weekend's narrow 13-11 win over Italy in Rome due to an ankle problem but has been restored at the base of the scrum for what is set to be a pivotal encounter in this season's Championship.

His Leinster team-mate, Sean O'Brien, switches to the blindside flank as a result, with Munster's Denis Leamy dropping to the replacements' bench in place of Shane Jennings. Leinster's Fergus McFadden continues on the wing, having made his debut last weekend, with Ulster's Andrew Trimble unable to influence the 22 after a hand injury.

Damien Traille returns to France's midfield. The versatile Biarritz veteran, who started last weekend's 34-21 win over Scotland at fullback, has been drafted in at inside-centre following a serious shoulder injury to Perpignan's Maxime Mermoz.

Toulouse's Clement Poitrenaud returns to the starting line-up in the No.15 jersey as a result, with Yannick Jauzion promoted to the bench having sat out their tournament opener. Also among the replacements there is a recall for Biarritz prop Sylvain Marconnet, who has been given the nod ahead of Castres' Luc Ducalcon.

Ireland: L Fitzgerald (Leinster); F McFadden (Leinster), B O'Driscoll (Leinster, capt), G D'Arcy (Leinster), K Earls (Munster); J Sexton (Leinster), T O'Leary (Munster); C Healy (Leinster), R Best (Ulster), M Ross (Leinster), D O'Callaghan (Munster), P O'Connell (Munster), S O'Brien (Leinster), D Wallace (Munster), J Heaslip (Leinster)

Replacements: S Cronin (Connacht), T Court (Ulster), L Cullen (Leinster), D Leamy (Munster), E Reddan (Leinster), R O'Gara (Munster), P Wallace (Ulster)

France: C Poitrenaud (Toulouse); Y Huget (Bayonne), A Rougerie (Clermont Auvergne), D Traille (Biarritz), M Medard (Toulouse); F Trinh-Duc (Montpellier), M Parra (Clermont Auvergne); T Domingo (Clermont Auvergne), W Servat (Toulouse), N Mas (Perpignan), J Pierre (Clermont Auvergne), L Nallet (Racing Metro), T Dusautoir (Toulouse), J Bonnaire (Clermont Auvergne), I Harinordoquy (Biarritz)

Replacements: G Guirado (Perpignan), S Marconnet (Biarritz), J Thion (Biarritz), S Chabal (Racing Metro), D Yachvili (Biarritz), Y Jauzion (Toulouse), V Clerc (Toulouse)

Referee: Dave Pearson (Eng)
Assistant Referees: Wayne Barnes (Eng), David Changleng (Sco)
TMO: Geoff Warren (Eng)