Keatley dropped from squad as Leinster trio start against France

As expected, Joe Schmidt has reinstated Jonathan Sexton as Ireland's out-half for their Six Nations clash with France at the Aviva on Saturday.

By Brendan O'Brien

Joe Schmidt has today insisted that Jonathan Sexton is no more an injury risk than any other player after opting to bring the Racing Metro out-half back into his starting team to face France in Dublin at the first available opportunity.

Sexton has returned from an enforced 12-week rest period, which was instigated on the back of a series of concussions, and will play his first game of rugby since Ireland’s defeat of Australia in late November of last year.

"(He is) as much a risk as starting anyone else,” said the Ireland coach at this afternoon’s team announcement. “He's very fit and he's done a lot of training with us, four weeks training.

“He's done heavy contact this week and he's ready to go. He's feeling very fresh. Sometimes the reverse can happen. You can do a lot of contact and be pretty bashed up."

France coach Philippe Saint-Andre has already indicated that he will send his heavy artillery up Sexton’s channel – and it doesn't come much heavier than Mathieu Bastareaud – but Schmidt disagreed that it would be a staple of the visitors’ diet.

"Their tactic will be whatever they want to do and we will have to counter them. We are prepared for the tactics they may employ and I have no doubt that they will use that narrow channel sometimes, but they won't want to waste Huget, Thomas and Spedding in the wide channels as well.”

Jamie Heaslip and Sean O’Brien are also reintroduced, in their case to the back row alongside Peter O’Mahony, while Rory Best has recovered in good time from his own concussion, suffered last week in the opening defeat of Italy, to come in at hooker.

Ian Keatley and Tommy O’Donnell, both of whom fared well having started on their Six Nations debuts in Rome, drop out of the side and the match day 23 altogether with the versatility of Ian Madigan and Jordi Murphy being preferred.

With Cian Healy also earning a place on the bench, Schmidt has seen fit to recall four British and Irish Lions to the match day squad. Quite the luxury, regardless of any concerns over match fitness.

Ireland team v France: R Kearney; T Bowe, J Payne, R Henshaw, S Zebo; J Sexton, C Murray; J Heaslip, S O'Brien, P O'Mahony; P O'Connell, D Toner; M Ross, R Best, J McGrath.

Replacements: S Cronin, C Healy, M Moore, I Henderson, J Murphy, I Boss, I Madigan, F Jones.