Zebo and Earls not risked against France; Sean O’Brien starts
Joe Schmidt has made three changes to his starting XV for Saturday’s Six Nations clash with France.
After Sunday’s
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Here's the Ireland team to play @FFRugby on Saturday #RBS6Nations #ShoulderToShoulder pic.twitter.com/BUM80aTZhR
— Irish Rugby (@IrishRugby) February 11, 2016
Schmidt, who didn’t decide his team until after today’s training session, has chosen to start both Kearney brothers on Saturday, with Rob at full-back.
Joe: @SimonZebo & @KEITHEARLS87 trained but not 100% so it would be a risk to pick them.
— Irish Rugby (@IrishRugby) February 11, 2016
Simon Zebo has not been included in the matchday squad.
Munster flyer Zebo’s failure to beat his knee problem hands Leinster wing Dave Kearney a starting berth, with his provincial colleague Fergus McFadden drafted onto the bench.
“We were just trying to clarify the fitness of Simon Zebo and Keith Earls, both of whom we have left out of the squad,” boss Joe Schmidt said.
“They got through training and at the same time we just felt they weren’t 100 per cent fit.
“We just felt it was a risk.”
McFadden was overlooked for Ireland’s initial Six Nations squad, and was slated to feature for Leinster against Zebre on Friday night.
The 29-year-old was brought into Ireland’s training ranks in midweek, to cover Earls’ absence due to suspected concussion.
The Leinster speedster was still expected to return to club duties even on Thursday morning, only for Zebo to suffer a last-minute setback.
Keith Earls is also absent from the squad as he completes his return-to-play protocol following concussion.
As expected, Sean O’Brien starts in the back row, with Tommy O’Donnell dropping to the bench.
That is the only change in the forwards, with the front and second rows lining up as they did against Wales.
France head coach Guy Noves has made six
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: 15. Rob Kearney, 14. Andrew Trimble, 13. Jared Payne, 12. Robbie Henshaw, 11. Dave Kearney, 10. Johnny Sexton, 9. Conor Murray; , 1. Jack McGrath, 2. Rory Best, 3. Nathan White, 4. Mike McCarthy, 5. Devin Toner, 6. CJ Stander, 7. Sean O'Brien, 8. Jamie Heaslip.
: Richardt Strauss, James Cronin, Tadhg Furlong, Donnacha Ryan, Tommy O’Donnell, Eoin Reddan, Ian Madigan, Fergus McFadden.
