Ireland head coach Declan Kidney has opted to retain Paddy Jackson as his ten for Saturday's Six Nations clash with France at the Aviva Stadium.
An opening had been left in the 23 for the starting and replacement fly-half due to Jackson suffering from a tight hamstring, but he came through both kicking and training as expected and will start.
Leinster's uncapped Ian Madigan earns his first call-up to an international matchday squad.
The replacement tighthead slot has also been confirmed with the uncapped Munster prop Stephen Archer named in the replacements.
Ireland: 15 Rob Kearney, 14 Fergus McFadden, 13 Brian O'Driscoll, 12 Luke Marshall, 11 Keith Earls, 10 Paddy Jackson, 9 Conor Murray, 8 Jamie Heaslip (c) 7 Sean O'Brien, 6 Peter O'Mahony, 5 Donnacha Ryan, 4 Mike McCarthy, 3 Mike Ross, 2 Rory Best, 1 Cian Healy.
Replacements: 16 Sean Cronin, 17 David Kilcoyne, 18 Stephen Archer, 19 Iain Henderson, 20 Eoin Reddan, 21 Ian Madigan, 22 Luke Fitzgerald.
Date: Saturday, March 9
Kick-off: 17:00
Venue: Aviva Stadium, Dublin
Referee: Steve Walsh (Australia)
Assistant referees: Wayne Barnes (England), Greg Garner (England)
Television match official: Nigel Whitehouse (Wales)
Comments
99call says...
francosaurus
Good point well made, we can all talk about the changing the coach but there is also a need for a clear out at the top, these guys have been living on the performances of the golden generation for years and have done nothing to ensure the next group of players are ready to succeed them
Take a look at what David Humphreys has done at Ulster since taking over the director role hes made the right signings at player and coach level that have invigorated the team which is starting to produce some top class young talent
Now Im not saying that Humps should go and take a position in the IRFU but it shows what new ideas and direction can do to a side that too be honest has been a mid table team with no european hope for the past few years and now look at them
Posted 10:20 08th March 2013
francosaurus says...
As a scrum half I normally find myself grateful to my props on more than one occasion during a Saturday afternoon. And I have to say that I am grateful for the most recent post from Jamie the prop. And they say you big fellas are not cerebral, What a load of rubbish. Great point! We have became so focused on the here and now that we cannot see further ahead. I take on board the frustrations of all you guys out there. Some points are lucid and well constructed, others, well lets just say, the veil of anonymity provides a fine platform for utterly ridiculous and down right disrespectful comments.
Re the 10 debate, who do you pick someone with Rabo experience or someone with H Cup experience or more pertinently, which comp is of the higher standard? I would go with someone who has played in a higher quality competition. But that's only me, I know many others differ, but at least this point is based on hard factual evidence. Madigan will get his chance to prove he is better than Jackson. It will be his job to prove it. Other than that the debates over the positional changes is provincially biased. Toner lovers, Henderson lovers, Tuohy lovers. They are all good players, some are starting out others have been around the fringes for a while without making an impact. But for the guys that are just back from injury, give them a proper chance to recover! The malaise that is currently around this team doesn't fall entirely at the Monsignors door. Phillip Browne and the other munchkins in the IRFU have a greater level of culpability. We have 3 high profile positions still infilled at national level. What has happened to the National Scrum Coach, the high performance management of players. Let me repeat a previous point an over 45% injury profile!!! 45%. Whilst we sit here and give out, Philly and the boys count the cash and fitter away the goodwill to the national team.
Posted 09:59 08th March 2013
99call says...
Theshaw
I dont think Ive ever read something that pathetic, you want a 21 year old kid to get injured as you "hate" him. Why dont you go and join in on the BBC bloggs as that is the sort of low, uneducated, frankly cowardly jibe you find on there.
And by the way if youre such a big Madigan fan you would think youd be able to spell his name you sad little man
Posted 09:29 08th March 2013
99call says...
irishzimbabwean
I believe Fitzpatrick is injured, there was mention of it in earlier articles and that he was struggling with some sort of leg injury, hamstring or groin you know the usual thing, that he may have picked up against Treviso last week
Its hard luck for him as he scrummaged very well against a decent treviso front row last weekend but Im interested to see how Archer gets on as he appears to be playing well and probably does offer a bit more round the park that Declan
And 3in4 does us all a favour and find somewhere else to do your ranting, you say DKs lurching with no coherent plan I think changing your 10 after 60 minutes of rugby in which he played well kicking aside would be the definition of incoherent, I would agree with starting Reddan but Toner is behind Tuohy in race for the second row never mind ahead of DOC
Take your blue tinted glasses off, and when I saw tinted I mean dipped in Dulux blue emulsion, youve managed to get Fergus "Im a speedbump" McFadden on there so surely that should keep you happy
Posted 09:23 08th March 2013
JamieTheProp says...
Sometimes these issues can actually be a blessing in the long term - I realise it is painful for this 6 Nations - but young players are being blooded where normally an older and more established player would be picked - so when everyone is fit Ireland should have a wider and more experienced playing group.
I realise it doesn't feel that way now - but silver lining and all that!
And anyone who says that O'Gara is a better option than Jackson is talking utter rubbish - especially after the last performance! His time is past - move on!
Posted 07:42 08th March 2013
irishzimbabwean says...
3in4 - Jackson is picked at No.10 ahead of Madigan as he is first choice at Ulster whilst Madigan is second choice at Leinster. Jackson plays the major games for Ulster, whilst Madigan plays the games that Joe Schmidt deems he can rest Sexton for. Since Leinster have picked up Jimmy Gopperth for next year, Madigan wil continue in that role. Think Kidney got that one correct.
Devin Toner is, at best, a moderate Provincial player - being very tall is his main asset. We should be asking why Dan Tuohy who fronted up to the All Blacks last tour (we all remember the epic Second Test) is not on the bench?
Posted 06:51 08th March 2013
irishzimbabwean says...
99call - is Declan Fitzpatrick injured?
Posted 06:46 08th March 2013
irishzimbabwean says...
12Counties - you can add "Theshaw" to your list. How "Theshaw" can say you "hate" a young man of 20/21 who you have never met? Even worse, you wish him to get injured?
99call - correct analysis as usual. Jackson missed kicks against Scotland but his running, distribution and tackling were excellent (one poor pass excepted).I hope the many negative posters on this site are never thrown into Murrayfield for their debut on the end of Conor Murray's pass - I suspect that Paddy Jackson would perform better than all of them.
Posted 06:44 08th March 2013
12Counties says...
@3in4: speaking as a fellow leinster fan i find your name calling disgraceful. You'd be better of writing headlines for an English tabloid. Have some manners whatever your opinion
Posted 22:44 07th March 2013
Lucasrg says...
I wouldn't doubt a second on PJ in the starting XV.
Posted 20:43 07th March 2013
Theshaw says...
@ rockman... They know he's fragile even without an injury!!
Posted 20:04 07th March 2013
rockman says...
Why did Kidney name a starting 23 with three an others in it? I have never even seen one before. France only named their 23 today so why did kidney feel the need to look like a twat? He has now sent a message to the french, come at our ten, he's fragile
Posted 18:47 07th March 2013
rugby_rockstar says...
looking forward to this match. I feel the motivation on both sides will be high and it could the match of the championship. We all remember what france did coming off the Tonga loss in the rwc to thrash the living daylights out of England, while Ireland are not really playing badly, its their game management which has gone to pot and I'm sue they've addressed that by now.
Posted 16:56 07th March 2013
FISH says...
i think even ogara is better
Posted 16:30 07th March 2013
12Counties says...
Editor: O'Callaghan missing from the bench there
Posted 16:25 07th March 2013
whatisthis says...
McFadden in to take spot kicks i hope....
Posted 16:11 07th March 2013
rocky15 says...
Mad dog is a better all round player compared to Jackson, and on top of that he's in form. It wouldn't be a very controversial call to play Madigan instead of Jackson.
With Jackson on I assume McFadden will be kicking, which won't do wonders for Jackson's confidence. But hopefully it may take some pressure off him, and give him a chance to build some confidence.
Posted 15:30 07th March 2013
gleek says...
It is like the earlier squad announcement was leaked prematurely a la The Thick of It and he is now picking Stephen Archer to divert attention from his gaff.
Also aren't we allowed 23 players. I don't think it will matter but we may as well make it sporting!
Posted 15:13 07th March 2013
3in4 says...
Turnip Face is an absolute disgrace. He is utterly clueless about rugby, just lurching from one match to another with no coherent gameplan or vision. Even when his hand is forced by injury and he picks youth (God knows, it took a few years), he makes the wrong selection. How can Jackson be considered a better fly-half than Madigan, on the basis of this season's form? What is Slowpoke Murray doing on the field ahead of Reddan? Why is the chippendale O'Callaghan on the bench ahead of Toner? Of course, Cabbage Head's ginger love-child is on the teamsheet as always...why even wonder about that at this stage? Never mind that he butchered two try-scoring chances at Murrayfield, Kidney obviously feels a biological obligation here.
Part of me wants this team to lose big on Satruday and end up with the wooden spoon. If anything, it will force the IRFU's hand and they'll have no choice but to sack this plonker. Then we might actually get a coaching team in that is worth it's salt.
Posted 15:08 07th March 2013
melkdave says...
Think Kidney has made the right decsion,at FH.After all Jackson did everything asked of him,and we knew he wasnt a 1st choice goal kicker.Also having looked at the french selection for the match,i believe Ireland now have a chance of victory.Though im still expecting France to win.I feel this mainly because of the packs.I think the french pack will dominate truth be told,over the 80 mins.Ireland always seem to come out hard and fast ,then when their surge fades,,Ireland struggle.They where lucky in some ways they had such a lead against Wales,that Wales couldnt overhual it.Trouble was they never built a decent one against England or Scotland ,and eventually those teams powered past them and won..France i expect will be really up for this match,and if they match the irish starting surge ,well i think you know what will happen .
Posted 15:02 07th March 2013