Rugby:David Wallace has lost his battle to make the starting XV for tomorrow's clash against France at the Aviva Stadium, with Leinster's Shane Jennings taking over at openside flanker.
The 35-year-old Munster forward suffered a tightening in a hamstring after training last Tuesday and has been stood down as a precaution.
Jennings was withdrawn from the Ireland XV for last night’s victory over Connacht at Donnybrook and goes straight into the side after initially not being named in the 22.
Ireland coach Declan Kidney admitted that Jennings, who broke his arm in the Magners League final, had been suffering gastric problems during the week but will be fit to line up in tomorrow’s game, which kicks of at 5pm.
Prop Cian Healy insists Ireland are desperate to topple France, even though there is nothing riding on the game.
The 19-12 loss in Bordeaux last Saturday will be fresh in the memory in the second of their two meetings arranged in preparation for the World Cup.
Having lost both of warm-up games to date, good performances are required against France and England, who visit Dublin a week later, to establish some momentum for New Zealand.
While Healy concedes there is nothing tangible on the line over the next eight days, he stresses winning remains imperative.
“This is the same as any game. It doesn’t matter if it’s just before the World Cup or at the end of the season, you still want to win it,” he said.
“You go out to win. Do we do-or-die need it? No, but every player wants to go out to win and that’s a good place for Ireland to be in.
“I don’t know if these losing games will affect confidence. I’ve never been in the situation of going into such a big competition, but when you’re on a roll winning games you feel good. You go out to win in an Ireland jersey. You never go out to lose.”
“I wouldn’t call it pressure to perform in these games,” said Healy. “But you want to play well at home and give that dream performance in front of everyone.
“I’m looking forward to playing France. I always like another crack at them it’s never finished. We’ve got another chance to turn them over. It would be nice to do that.
“It’s not even to get one back on them, but just to win and enjoy that feeling.”
The front row of Mike Ross, Rory Best and Healy will de deployed en bloc for a second successive week with the latter grateful for another pipe opener.
“Bordeaux was my first blow-out of the season. My body was struggling a bit and I was trying to keep up,” said Healy.
“Some bits of my game I was happy with and some bits need to be fixed up. Hopefully those things will be ironed out for Saturday.”
IRELAND (v France): Felix Jones(Munster); Andrew Trimble(Ulster); Brian O'Driscoll(Leinster, capt), Gordon D'Arcy(Leinster), Keith Earls(Munster); Jonathan Sexton(Leinster), Tomás O'Leary(Munster); Cian Healy(Leinster), Rory Best(Ulster), Mike Ross(Leinster), Donncha O'Callaghan(Munster), Paul O'Connell(Munster), Seán O'Brien(Leinster), Shane Jennings(Leinster), Jamie Heaslip(Leinster).
Replacements: Jerry Flannery(Munster), Tom Court(Ulster), Mike McCarthy(Connacht), Stephen Ferris(Ulster), Eoin Reddan(Leinster), Ronan O'Gara(Munster), Luke Fitzgerald(Leinster).
