France and Ireland look to salvage reputations

Ireland and France emerged for their RBS Six Nations Championship clash in Paris hoping to salvage their battered reputations.

The Irish began the tournament with a disappointing 26-16 victory over Italy, which heaped further pressure on coach Eddie O’Sullivan and his misfiring players.

However, O’Sullivan gave his side the chance to redeem themselves by making just one enforced change with loosehead prop Reggie Corrigan replacing Marcus Horan, who was ruled out through illness.

France were equally dismal in their championship opener but their failure to escape with victory against Scotland turned today’s encounter into a must-win game.

Head coach Bernard Laporte took decisive action following the 20-16 Murrayfield debacle – one of the biggest upsets of the Six Nations – by making five changes.

In came veterans Olivier Magne, Raphael Ibanez and Aurelien Rougerie with Olivier Milloud and David Marty also new faces.

France: Dominici, Rougerie, Fritz, Marty, Heymans, Michalak, Elissalde, Milloud, Ibanez, De Villiers, Pelous, Thion, Nyanga, Magne, Bonnaire. Replacements: Bruno, Marconnet, Nallet, Martin, Yachvili, Boyet, Valbon.

Ireland: Murphy, Horgan, O’Driscoll, D’Arcy, Bowe, O’Gara, Stringer, Corrigan, Flannery, Hayes, O’Kelly, O’Connell, Easterby, Wallace, Leamy. Replacements: R. Best, S. Best, O’Callaghan, O’Connor, Reddan, Humphreys, Trimble.

Referee: P Honiss (New Zealand)