Friday 24 February 2017 06:15, UK
Johnny Sexton returns to the Ireland starting line-up for Saturday’s Six Nations clash with France in Dublin.
Sexton missed Ireland's first two games of the championship - a defeat by Scotland and victory over Italy - with a calf injury suffered playing for Leinster against Castres on January 20.
But he is restored to the starting XV - alongside Jack McGrath and Rory Best - against the French at the expense of Paddy Jackson, who drops to the bench.
Since his last appearance for Ireland against New Zealand in the autumn, Sexton has clocked up just 130 minutes of action for Leinster.
Ulster fly-half Jackson can feel a little unlucky to miss out having impressed in Sexton's many recent absences, notably in Ireland's summer tour to South Africa last year.
"It was a call like any other, we debated it and we do believe we get a good balance with having both players available," said coach Joe Schmidt of the selection call on starting Sexton ahead of Jackson.
"It's very hard to come into a side and come off the bench when you haven't played. So starting the match has allowed Johnny a bit more training time with the team this week.
"It's a balance, and I think on Saturday based on how things have gone in the past we'll probably see both players in some positions in some stage of the game."
McGrath slots back in to start at prop with Cian Healy dropping back to the bench, with captain Best also back in the front row after missing the Italy win through a stomach bug.
Wing Andrew Trimble takes a seat on the bench after a groin injury, while Iain Henderson will also cover lock from the replacements.
Sexton has been on the end of physical onslaughts from the French in the past. He was knocked unconscious but scored two tries when Ireland edged out France 22-20 in Dublin in 2014 to land the Six Nations title in Brian O'Driscoll's final Test match.
He suffered a nasty black eye amid a host of clashes with centre Mathieu Bastareaud in 2015 and the French targeted him in the 2015 World Cup clash too.
Ireland: 15 Rob Kearney, 14 Keith Earls, 13 Garry Ringrose, 12 Rob Henshaw, 11 Simon Zebo, 10 Johnny Sexton, 9 Conor Murray, 1 Jack McGrath, 2 Rory Best, 3 Tadgh Furlong, 4 Donnacha Ryan, 5 Devin Toner, 6 CJ Stander, 7 Sean O'Brien, 8 Jamie Heaslip
Replacements: 16 Niall Scannell, 17 Cian Healy, 18 John Ryan, 19 Iain Henderson, 20 Peter O'Mahony, 21 Kieran Marmion, 22 Paddy Jackson, 23 Andrew Trimble
