France coach Bernard Laporte had recalled prop Pieter de Villiers for the Grand Slam clash with Ireland in Paris this weekend. De Villiers missed out on the trip to Scotland last month with an ankle injury, but the Stade Francais front-row returns to face the Irish as his team attempt to seal the Six Nations championship and their first clean sweep since 1998. The South Africa-born player is the only change from the team which won in Murrayfield.
Once again, France will be led by their inspirational skipper Fabien Galthie. The veteran scrum-half followed up his sensational performance against England by grabbing a try and man of the match honours against the Scots.
With half-back partner Gerald Merceron also in top form, France will start odds-on favourites. However, Ireland ended a barren run in Paris with victory on their previous victory at the Stade de France, with brilliant centre Brian O'Driscoll grabbing the first international hat-trick of his career.
France team: 15-Nicolas Brusque; 14-Aurelien Rougerie, 13-Tony Marsh, 12-Damien Traille, 11-David Bory; 10-Gerald Merceron, 9-Fabien Galthie (captain); 8-Imanol Harinordoquy, 7-Olivier Magne, 6-Serge Betsen, 5-Olivier Brouzet, 4-Fabien Pelous, 3-Pieter de Villiers, 2-Raphael Ibanez, 1-Jean-Jacques Crenca.
Replacements: 16-Olivier Azam, 17-Jean-Baptiste Poux, 18- David Auradou, 19-Remy Martin, 20-Pierre Mignoni, 21-Francois Gelez, 22-Jimmy Marlu.
Filed by Sinéad Kissane
