France v Ireland:Barring any late setbacks, Stephen Ferris will take his place in the Ireland starting line-up at the Stade de France on Saturday. Having given the flanker extra-time to prove his fitness, Ireland coach Declan Kidney was able to include Ferris when finalising his team this afternoon.
The other spot of housekeeping, namely trimming the replacements
bench from nine to seven players, saw Kevin McLaughlin and Andrew Trimble drop out of the squad.
McLaughlin, who started against Italy last weekend, drops out of the matchday 22 with his Leinster teammate Sean O’Brien preferred. Paddy Wallace, Eoin Reddan and Jonathan Sexton provide the backline cover with Andrew Trimble, who tweaked a hamstring against Italy, making way.
Ferris’s availability is a major boost for the Irish management team as they attempt to mastermind a first win in the French capital since Brian O’Driscoll’s hat-trick in 2000.
His physicality, ball-carrying and off-loading abilities will be desperately needed to combat a French back row comprising Thierry Dusautoir, Fulgence Ouedraogo and Imanol Harinordoquy.
Lock Paul O'Connell is under no illusions on the task ahead but is convinced Saturday's game finally enable him to realise one of his greatest ambitions.
History is heavily weighted against Ireland, who have prevailed in Paris on just two occasions since 1952 with the most recent win claimed a decade ago.
O'Connell had to wait until last year's 30-21 triumph at Croke Park in the opening match of the championship for his first taste of glory against France in eight attempts.
But while previous Irish teams have suffered in Paris, O'Connell believes the cloak of success will embolden the latest assault on the Stade de France.
"The history of the fixture gives us motivation," said the Munster lock and Lions captain. "If we beat France away from home it will be an incredible feeling and a good box ticked.
"It would be a highlight in my career. In my earlier years I looked at guys like (former Ireland and Munster prop) Peter Clohessy having very, very tough times over there.
"Irish teams sometimes went to Paris with high hopes, sometimes not, but always came off second best.
"But it's got to the stage now where we believe we can go over there and win. Now we need to actually do it.
"We talk about us being a more confident team than any other Irish side.
"We've always taken talented teams to Paris but now we're going there with a Grand Slam. You can't argue with that.
"We had an OK autumn, the results were good, so we're going over there in a better position than ever before."
France have proved the scourge of Ireland's tournament aspirations throughout the last 10 years, home and away.
In an overall table heading into this year's Six Nations, Ireland share first place with their rivals with 36 victories in 50 matches yet have one solitary title compared to France's four.
That disparity is partially explained by a wretched record of three wins in 11 matches against Les Bleus, which has seen them fall agonisingly short despite repeatedly challenging for the title.
Such consistency since the start of the Six Nations in 2000 has unfortunately extended to their record in Paris, creating an inferiority complex that O'Connell claims has now been shed.
"It's hard to say why it's been so difficult for us to win in Paris but this is as good a team as we've ever gone over there with," he said. "France have a massive pool of players and they've been incredibly physical and aggressive at home.
"Psychologically, going to France has been tough for Irish teams but probably since 2000 the lads have been breaking that down.
"Paris is a tough place to go because they're incredibly physical and aggressive when you play them there."
Ireland:Rob Kearney (Leinster); Tommy Bowe (Ospreys), Brian O'Driscoll (Leinster), Gordon D'Arcy (Leinster), Keith Earls (Munster); Ronan O'Gara (Munster), Tomas O'Leary (Munster); Cian Healy (Leinster), Jerry Flannery (Munster), John Hayes (Munster), Leo Cullen (Leinster), Paul O'Connell (Munster); A.N.Other, David Wallace (Munster), Jamie Heaslip (Naas/Leinster) Replacements:Rory Best (Ulster) Tom Court (Ulster), Donnacha Ryan (Munster), Sean O'Brien (Leinster), Eoin Reddan (Leinster), Jonathan Sexton (Leinster), Paddy Wallace (Ulster),