Ferris will start for Ireland against France

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• Video: Stephen Ferris / Ireland training

Audio

• Gert Small speaks to Con Murphy just before the Ireland squad departed for Paris for the crunch RBS Six Nations match on Saturday

Stephen Ferris will take his place in the Irish back-row when Ireland play France in the RBS 6 Nations on Saturday.

Ferris will line out alongside Jamie Heaslip and David Wallace after successfully coming through training today.

The 24-year-old was not named in the original team selected on Tuesday due to concerns over the knee injury that ruled him out of Ireland's 29-11 victory over Italy in their opening Six Nations clash.

But the Ulster flanker has been given the all clear by medical staff and will now take his place in the starting line-up.

As a result, Kevin McLaughlin, who started against the Azzuri, drops out of the 22-man squad. Rory Best, Tom Court, Donnacha Ryan and Sean O'Brien will be the forwards substitutes.

Andrew Trimble, who was replaced by Keith Earls in the starting XV, also drops out of the match-day 22. Eoin Reddan, Jonathan Sexton and Paddy Wallace will be on the bench.

Video: Stephen Ferris at Ireland training this week

Ireland second row Donncha O'Callaghan is to leave the squad to continue his injury recovery with the Munster squad as part of their warm weather training this week.