Murray fit as Herring in for Ireland's France game

Ireland coach Andy Farrell has made one change for Saturday's Six Nations clash with France as Ulster's Rob Herring replaces injured hooker Dan Sheehan.

There had been speculation over Conor Murray's fitness but the Munster scrum-half is selected in the half-backs with skipper Johnny Sexton.

Sexton starts despite having to go off during the win over Wales.

It was initially stated that Sexton had undergone a head injury assessment but Ireland coach Andy Farrell later clarified that the veteran fly-half's fitness issue was a dead leg.

Sexton's availability means he does start Saturday's Test against title rivals and reigning Grand Slam winners France, who will be unchanged for the Dublin game despite opening this year's with an unconvincing 29-24 defeat of Italy in Rome.

Sexton, 37, missed last year's defeat in Paris because of a hamstring problem.

Centre Robbie Henshaw was not fit enough to make the Six Nations squad while Jamison Gibson-Park, Tadhg Furlong and Cian Healy all missed last week's over Wales in Cardiff.

Farrell, who has lost all three previous meetings with France since taking the Ireland reins in 2019, sticks with a back three of Hugo Keenan, Mack Hansen and James Lowe.

Bundee Aki remains among the replacements with the midfield partnership of Stuart McCloskey and Garry Ringrose retained.

Finlay Bealham and Andrew Porter are kept in the front row alongside Herring.

James Ryan - who captained Ireland in last year's defeat by France in Sexton's absence - starts alongside Tadhg Beirne in the second row, with Peter O'Mahony, Josh van der Flier and Caelan Doris again lining out in the back row.

Les Bleus, the only team to beat Ireland in Dublin since the 2019 World Cup, are bidding for a 15th successive victory to put themselves in pole position to retain the Six Nations title.

Ireland: Keenan; Hansen, Ringrose, McCloskey, Lowe; Sexton, Murray; Porter, Herring, Bealham; Beirne, Ryan; O'Mahony, Van der Flier, Doris.

Replacements: Kelleher, Kilcoyne, O'Toole, Henderson, Conan, Casey, Byrne, Aki.

France: Ramos; Penaud, Fickou, Moefana, Dumortier; Ntamack, Dupont; Baille, Marchand, Atonio, Flament, Willemse, Jelonch, Ollivon, Alldritt.

Replacements: Barlot, Wardi, Falatea, Taofifenua, Cros, Macalou, Couilloud, Jalibert.

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