Ireland spring Herring on Les Bleus

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SA-born Ireland international Rob Herring comes in at hooker for a much-anticipated Six Nations clash with titleholders France in Dublin on Saturday.

He starts in place of the in-form Dan Sheehan, who has been ruled out due to injury. Ronan Kelleher has recovered from a hamstring injury and will fill the hooker spot on the replacement bench.

Herring will be partnered in the front row by Andrew Porter, who will win his 50th cap, and Finlay Bealham.

After an eye-catching turn against Wales last week, Australia-born Bealham gets another run-out as regular first-choice British & Irish Lions star Tadhg Furlong is still struggling with a calf injury.

Joining Porter on the 50-cap mark will be lock James Ryan, the pair having made their debuts together against the US in June 2017, and replacement prop Dave Kilcoyne, who first donned the green jersey way back in November 2012.

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In the backs, veteran scrumhalf Conor Murray will start after rumours that he was a doubt due to injury. But the 33-year-old will win his 102nd cap and line up alongside his long-time halfback partner and Ireland captain Johnny Sexton.

Murray has slipped to second choice since the emergence of Jamison Gibson-Park, but the latter is yet to recover from the hamstring injury that prevented him playing in the tournament opening 34-10 win in Cardiff last week.

This weekend’s clash is a match-up between the two top ranked sides in the world with No 1 Ireland bidding for a record 13th successive home win.

France are on a record run of 14 consecutive victories under Fabien Galthie and are the last side to have beaten the Irish at Lansdowne Road, in the 2021 Six Nations.

Les Bleus are the only top tier side that Ireland head coach Andy Farrell is yet to get the better of since he took over at the helm after the 2019 Rugby World Cup.

© Agence France-Presse

Photo: ©INPHO/Photosport/Grant Down

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