Six Nations: Keith Earls back in centre for Irish

Published on Friday 10 February 2012 01:38

KEITH Earls has been restored at outside centre for Ireland’s RBS Six Nations clash with France in Paris tomorrow night.

Earls was named in the starting XV for last weekend’s 23-21 defeat by Wales only to be withdrawn when his new-born baby girl was admitted to hospital with an unspecified illness.

The 24-year-old Munster back returned to the Irish camp at the start of the week and has replaced Fergus McFadden in the No 13 jersey.

McFadden drops to the bench with David Kearney losing his spot among the replacements.

Coach Declan Kidney has kept faith with half-backs Jonathan Sexton and Conor Murray, while Stephen Ferris continues at blindside flanker after being cleared by a disciplinary hearing of tip-tackling Wales lock Ian Evans. The return of Earls is the solitary change to the side toppled by Wales in a disappointing championship opener that has cranked up the pressure on Kidney.

“Keith’s been bubbling away since he’s been back with us and has trained well. It was tough on Fergus to lose out,” Kidney said.

Ireland have triumphed in Paris just once since 1972 and have beaten bogey team France only once in 12 meetings at all venues dating back to 2003.

Defeat would end any lingering title aspirations after just two games and leave Kidney with difficult questions to answer.

“There’s a lot we have to improve on. Some of the silly errors we made against Wales we must cut out,” captain Paul O’Connell said. “Against France away from home you need to start well. It’s frustrating that I haven’t beaten France in Paris but we have a team that can do it.”

France scrum-half Dimitri Yachvili has been ruled out of the match because of a back problem. He will be replaced in the starting line-up by Morgan Parra, who will play alongside stand-off Francois Trinh-Duc at the Stade de France, while Julien Dupuy has been drafted in to the squad as back-up.

France coach Philippe Saint-André said he preferred not to take any risks with Yachvili’s back complaint, and that calling up Dupuy so early gave him more time to get up to speed in training, should he be needed tomorrow.

Ireland (v France at Stade de France, tomorrow, 2000 GMT): Rob Kearney (Leinster), Tommy Bowe (Ospreys), Keith Earls (Munster), Gordon D’Arcy (Leinster), Andrew Trimble (Ulster), Jonathan Sexton (Leinster), Conor Murray (Munster); Cian Healy (Leinster), Rory Best (Ulster), Mike Ross (Leinster), Donncha O’Callaghan (Munster), Paul O’Connell (Munster) cpt, Stephen Ferris (Ulster), Sean O’Brien (Leinster), Jamie Heaslip (Leinster).

Subs: Sean Cronin (Leinster), Tom Court (Ulster), Donnacha Ryan (Munster), Peter O’Mahony (Munster), Eoin Reddan (Leinster), Ronan O’Gara (Munster), Fergus McFadden (Leinster).

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