Cian Healy will win his 100th Ireland cap, while Robbie Henshaw starts at centre in the only change to Andy Farrell’s starting XV for their Guinness Six Nations finale against France.
Ireland got the 2020 Championship back underway with an impressive 50-17 victory over Italy last weekend and Farrell has stuck to his guns for the decisive trip to Paris.
The only change is an enforced one, Henshaw starting at outside centre for the injured Garry Ringrose, which means loosehead prop Healy will hit a century of appearances for Ireland at the Stade de France.
The 33-year-old will become just his country’s sixth centurion, following in the footsteps of fellow front-rowers Rory Best (124) and John Hayes (105), as well as Brian O’Driscoll (133), Ronan O’Gara (128) and Paul O’Connell (108).
Last week’s debutants Will Connors, who was named man of the match against Italy, and Hugo Keenan, who scored two tries, both start once again following their impressive displays.
Chris Farrell comes into the replacements as a result of Henshaw’s promotion, while the bench once again includes Peter O’Mahony’s 68 caps of experience as a back-row option
It is set to be a dramatic Super Saturday – and we ran through the permutations HERE – but Ireland know that a bonus-point victory over Les Bleus will be enough to guarantee them the title regardless of results elsewhere.
Ireland team to face France in Round 5 of the 2020 Guinness Six Nations 15. Jacob Stockdale (Ulster) – 29 caps 14. Andrew Conway (Munster) – 22 caps 13. Robbie Henshaw (Leinster) – 44 caps 12. Bundee Aki (Connacht) – 27 caps 11. Hugo Keenan (Leinster) – 1 cap 10. Jonathan Sexton (Leinster) (capt) – 92 caps 9. Conor Murray (Munster) – 82 caps 1. Cian Healy (Leinster) – 99 caps 2. Rob Herring (Ulster) – 12 caps 3. Andrew Porter (Leinster) – 27 caps 4. Tadhg Beirne (Munster) – 14 caps 5. James Ryan (Leinster) – 27 caps 6. Caelan Doris (Leinster) – 3 caps 7. Will Connors (Leinster) – 1 cap 8. CJ Stander (Munster) – 42 caps
Replacements: 16. Dave Heffernan (Connacht) – 2 caps 17. Ed Byrne (Leinster) – 1 cap 18. Finlay Bealham (Connacht) – 10 caps 19. Ultan Dillane (Connacht) – 16 caps 20. Peter O’Mahony (Munster) – 68 caps 21. Jamison Gibson-Park (Leinster) – 1 cap 22. Ross Byrne (Leinster) – 7 caps 23. Chris Farrell (Munster) – 9 caps
