France scrum-half Jean-Baptiste Elissalde predicts tomorrow’s showdown with Ireland will provide his team with a tougher test than last weekend’s RBS 6 Nations Championship opener against Scotland.

BRIAN ASHTON must feel that if he is never to see Dublin again, it would be too soon.

VICTOR COSTELLO or Anthony Foley at number eight; Malcolm O’Kelly or Donnacha O’Callaghan in the second-row; Shane Byrne or Frankie Sheahan at hooker; David Humphreys or Ronan O’Gara at out-half; Girvan Dempsey or Gordon D’Arcy at full-back.