Wallace handed starting role alongside O’Driscoll

Ireland v France team news: Paddy Wallace will start alongside Brian O'Driscoll in midfield when Ireland get their Six Nations campaign off and running at Croke Park this Saturday. Ireland coach Declan Kidney's first team selection in the competition also sees Jamie Heaslip hold on to the number eight jersey.

Wallace’s inclusion was the one real surprise when Kidney announced his team in Limerick this afternoon but is earned on merit following some stellar performances for Ulster of late.

As expected, Rob Kearney’s compelling form for Leinster has seen him nail down the fullback spot with previous incumbent Girvan Dempsey not even afforded a place on the bench. Instead, Geordan Murphy will cover for the back three.

The Leicester man may still start the game after Kearney went over on his ankle at training in Limerick this morning. Although he is on crutches, Kidney is confident the Leinster three-quarter will be fit for Saturday.

Tommy Bowe and Luke Fitzgerald will provide the attacking threat out wide while, unsurprisingly, Tomás O’Leary is named at scrumhalf.

Up front, Heaslip gets the nod over Denis Leamy in a backrow also comprising the in-form duo of David Wallace and Stephen Ferris. The only other marginal call sees the more dynamic Jerry Flannery preferred to Rory Best at hooker.

Uncapped Ulster prop Tom Court joins Best, Leamy and Malcolm O’Kelly in providing back up to the forward unit. Gordon D’Arcy, who exited Croke Park with a broken arm at this stage last year, is named on the bench with Peter Stringer deputising for O’Leary.

Kidney admitted he was not tempted to restore the D’Arcy-O’Driscoll midfield axis and believes Wallace’s form for Ulster has earned him his chance.

Wallace and O’Driscoll were last paired together during the 2008 summer tour to New Zealand and Australia, with Wallace earning huge praise after notching a splendid try against the All Blacks in Wellington.

The two also were part of the successful 1998 Ireland under-19 side that captured the World Championship in France — a team that was coached by Kidney, who insisted today Wallace “deserves his go”.

“Paddy and Brian have known each other for 10-11 years — even at under-19s they played next to one another (Paddy at 10 and Brian at 13),” said Kidney.

“It’s been a long time and I would respect everybody’s views as to what way it would be picked. To play Brian and Luke (Fitzgerald) would have meant changing their positions from a month ago and then changing someone onto the left-wing position and putting someone else at full back.

“I think there’s always a risk-management thing to be calculated as to who you bring through, but I would have confidence in them playing.

“I think Paddy has shown a lot of consistent form. I think he dovetails well with Brian and Ronan (O’Gara) inside and outside.

“He’s got a good temperament — I like that in the way he can bring that to the game. He’d have a feel for what an outhalf is going through and can lean in and take the pressure off the 10.

“And, at the same time, himself and Brian have been linking with one another over a 10-11 year period. I think he’s playing well and I think he deserves his go.”

Kidney also revealed there is a chance D’Arcy will see international game-time for the first time since breaking his arm in the opening game against Italy last year.

“Gordon is on the bench, and maybe we’ll see him on Saturday. In fairness to Gordon, he’s been coming through matches as well; he’s played a bit on the right-wing lately, and played for Lansdowne last Saturday, which was his first game at 12 since he’s come back.

“I think it would be unfair on him as well, too, when he’s all but 12 months out of the game to throw him in. And unfair on Paddy, too, because I think Paddy has been going nicely.

“Again that’s the benefit of the bench — let’s see how it goes as regards when guys come in on Saturday.”

Munster sensation Keith Earls was not considered because of a hamstring injury, although Kidney revealed he has an “outside chance” of making the squad for Ireland’s game against Italy in Rome on St Valentine’s weekend.

France also announced their starting XV and sport a new look halfback partnership with Castres number nine Sebastien Tillous-Borde getting the nod over Morgan Parrato to start alongside outhalf Lionel Beauxis.

Elsewhere, there are recalls in the back division for in-form Toulouse team-mates Florian Fritz and Clement Poitrenaud, at centre and fullback respectively.

Poitrenaud’s inclusion means Maxime Medard moves to the wing where he displaces another Toulouse player, Cedric Heymans, who is on the bench.

"It's the first time we are able to field the team we had in mind since our appointment," coach Marc Lievremont explained.

"Poitrenaud fits the game based on players' initiative that we want to develop," he added. "It's the first time we can rely on Beauxis and we are delighted he is back. Fritz is back to his best form. He will bring aggressiveness to the backline."

In the forwards, Imanol Harinordoquy has been named at number eight at the expense of Louis Picamoles, while Sale’s Sebastien Chabal retains his spot at lock where he will partner captain Lionel Nallet.

Nicolas Mas is surprisingly left on the bench, with Benoit Lecouls preferred as prop. Vincent Clerc, so often Ireland’s tormenter, is not in the match day 22 following his recent return from a knee injury.

"We went for experience and density in the front five with a rather mobile backrow," Lievramont said.

"We'll have to counter the strength of the Irish at the set pieces. We'll know it will be a difficult game because the Irish are banking on continuity in their choice of players and style of play," he added.

Ireland: Rob Kearney (UCD - Leinster); Tommy Bowe (Ospreys), Brian O'Driscoll (UCD - Leinster), Paddy Wallace (Ballymena - Ulster), Luke Fitzgerald (Blackrock College - Leinster); Ronan O'Gara (Cork Constitution - Munster), Tomas O'Leary (Dolphin - Munster): Marcus Horan (Shannon - Munster), Jerry Flannery (Shannon - Munster), John Hayes (Bruff- Munster); Donncha O'Callaghan (Cork Constitution - Munster), Paul O'Connell (Young Munster - Munster); Stephen Ferris (Dungannon - Ulster), David Wallace (Garryowen - Munster), Jamie Heaslip (Naas - Leinster).

Replacements: Rory Best (Banbridge - Ulster), Tom Court (Malone - Ulster), Malcolm O'Kelly (St.Mary's College - Leinster), Denis Leamy (Cork Constitution - Munster), Peter Stringer (Shannon - Munster), Gordon D'Arcy (Lansdowne - Leinster), Geordan Murphy (Leicester)

France: Clement Poitrenaud (Toulouse); Julien Malzieu (Clermont-Auvergne), Florian Fritz, Yannick Jauzion, Maxime Medard (all Toulouse); Lionel Beauxis (Stade Francais), Sebastien Tillous-Borde (Castres); Lionel Faure (Sale), Dimitri Szarzewski (Stade Francais), Benoit Lecouls (Toulouse), Sebastien Chabal (Sale), Lionel Nallet (Castres, capt), Thierry Dusautoir (Toulouse), Fulgence Ouedraogo (Montpellier), Imanol Harinordoquy (Biarritz).

Replacements: Benjamin Kayser (Leicester), Nicolas Mas (Perpignan), Romain Millo-Chluski (Toulouse), Louis Picamoles (Montpellier), Morgan Parra (Bourgoin), Benoit Baby (Clermont-Auvergne), Cedric Heymans (Toulouse).

Ireland 'A'(v England Saxons): Gavin Duffy (Galwegians - Connacht); Andrew Trimble (Ballymena - Ulster), Darren Cave (Belfast Harlequins - Ulster), Keith Matthews (Buccaneers - Connacht), Mark McCrea (Malone - Ulster); Jonathan Sexton (St. Mary's College - Leinster), Eoin Reddan (Wasps); Cian Healy (Clontarf - Leinster), Sean Cronin (Buccaneers - Connacht), Mike Ross (Harlequins), Bob Casey (London Irish), Ryan Caldwell (Dungannon - Ulster), Neil Best (Northampton), Shane Jennings (St. Mary's College - Leinster), John Muldoon (Galwegians - Connacht).

Replacements: John Fogarty (Clontarf - Leinster), John Andress (Exeter), Donnacha Ryan (Shannon - Munster), Sean O'Brien (Clontarf - Leinster), Isaac Boss (Ballymena - Ulster), Ian Humphreys (Ballymena - Ulster), Barry Murphy (UL Bohemians - Munster).