Kidney sticks with winning formula

There are no changes to the starting Ireland team to play England in Croke Park this Saturday from the side that beat Italy in the last round of the RBS Six Nations Championship.

Paddy Wallace has fully recovered from the eye injury that forced him off the field during the game in the Stadio Flaminio to allow him to line up in the centre with Ireland captain Brian O’Driscoll who will win his 91st cap.

There is one change to the replacements with Mick O’Driscoll being named as second row cover in place of Malcolm O’Kelly.

Out half Ronan O’Gara will be winning his 90th cap to join Malcolm O’Kelly, John Hayes and Brian O’Driscoll as the only players to have won over 90 caps for Ireland.

Kidney said: “We went through the whole team selection. The team are training so well and we took that into account.

“The lads who came on as subs in the first two matches have put their hands up, as have the guys on Magners League duty at the weekend.

“Second row is probably one of the most sought-after positions in the set-up.

“Mick had been going well prior to getting the shoulder injury and he played very well in the Magners League on the weekend, so I felt he deserved his chance.

“I’m sure Malcolm will force his way back into the side.”

England were trounced 43-13 on their last and only visit to Croke Park and are not expected to derail Ireland’s Grand Slam ambitions on Saturday.

Ireland team to play France in the RBS 6 Nations at Croke Park on Saturday February 7, kick-off 5pm:

R Kearney (Leinster); T Bowe (Ospreys), B O’Driscoll (Leinster, captain), P Wallace (Ulster), L Fitzgerald (Leinster); R O’Gara (Munster), T O’Leary (Munster); M Horan (Munster), J Flannery (Munster), J Hayes (Munster), D O’Callaghan (Munster), P O’Connell (Munster), S Ferris (Ulster), D Wallace (Munster), J Heaslip (Leinster).

Replacements:

Rory Best (Banbridge - Ulster), Tom Court (Malone - Ulster), Mick O’Driscoll (Cork Constitution - Munster), Denis Leamy (Cork Constitution - Munster), Peter Stringer (Shannon - Munster), Gordon D’Arcy (Lansdowne - Leinster), Geordan Murphy (Leicester)