WATCH: Joe Schmidt backs his centres of excellence

Joe Schmidt is backing centres Robbie Henshaw and Keith Earls to forge a winning combination against a mighty French midfield in Cardiff.

Ireland’s head coach has retained the pair for the second week in succession as his side bids to beat France at the Millennium Stadium and win World Cup Pool D heading into next weekend’s quarter-finals.

That means no place for Jared Payne, whose recovery from a bruised foot suffered two weeks ago was not enough to unseat the in-form Earls from the outside centre berth.