Donnacha Ryan retains place in Ireland team for France clash
Ireland's match day 23 that will welcome France to the Aviva Stadium on Saturday for Ireland's first home game of the 2017 RBS 6 Nations Championship has been named
Rory Best returns to captain the team after being side-lined in Rome through illness. Best is joined in the front row by Jack McGrath and Tadhg Furlong. The engine room sees Devin Toner and Donnacha Ryan paired once again with Jamie Heaslip, Sean O'Brien and CJ Stander filling the backrow slots to complete the pack.
Conor Murray and Johnny Sexton are named at half-back with Robbie Henshaw and Garry Ringrose continuing their midfield partnership. Rob Kearney, Keith Earls and Simon Zebo fill the backfield positions.
The replacements include Niall Scannell, Cian Healy, John Ryan, Iain Henderson, Peter O'Mahony, Kieran Marmion, Paddy Jackson and Andrew Trimble.
IRELAND team to play France – Saturday 25th February
15. Rob Kearney (UCD/Leinster) 74 caps
14. Keith Earls (Young Munster/Munster) 56 caps
13. Garry Ringrose (UCD/Leinster) 5 caps
12. Robbie Henshaw (Buccaneers/Leinster) 26 caps
11. Simon Zebo (Cork Constitution/Munster) 30 caps
10. Johnny Sexton (St Mary's College/Leinster) 63 caps
9. Conor Murray (Garryowen/Munster) 55 caps
8. Jamie Heaslip (Dublin University/Leinster) vc 93 caps
7. Sean O'Brien (UCD/Leinster) 46 caps
6. CJ Stander (Shannon/Munster) 12 caps
5. Devin Toner (Lansdowne/Leinster) 44 caps
4. Donnacha Ryan (Shannon/Munster) 44 caps
3. Tadhg Furlong (Clontarf/Leinster) 13 caps
2. Rory Best (Banbridge/Ulster) c 101 caps
1. Jack McGrath (St. Mary's/Leinster) 38 caps
Replacements
16. Niall Scannell (Dolphin/Munster) 1 cap
17. Cian Healy (Clontarf/Leinster) 64 caps
18. John Ryan (Cork Constitution/Munster) 3 caps
19. Iain Henderson (Ballynahinch/Ulster) 29 caps
20. Peter O'Mahony (Cork Constitution/Munster) 37 caps
21. Kieran Marmion (Corinthians/Connacht) 10 caps
22. Paddy Jackson (Dungannon/Ulster) 21 caps
23. Andrew Trimble (Ballymena/Ulster) 69 caps