Dublin (AFP) - Veteran scrum-half Conor Murray will start for Ireland in a Six Nations clash with titleholders France on Saturday that Irish head coach Andy Farrell said has "a bit of spice about it".
There had been a doubt about Murray's availability but the 33-year-old will win his 102nd cap and line up alongside his long-time halfback partner and Ireland captain Johnny Sexton.
Murray has slipped to second choice since the emergence of Jamison Gibson-Park, but the latter is yet to recover from the hamstring injury that prevented him playing in the opening 34-10 win over Wales.
"He is good to go and in good spirits," Farrell said at his press conference on Thursday.
"There was a doubt due to personal reasons which I prefer to keep it to ourselves."
Farrell was forced to make just the one change to the starting line-up that impressed in the victory over Wales last Saturday.
Rob Herring comes in at hooker for Dan Sheehan, who has been ruled out due to a hamstring injury.
Ronan Kelleher has recovered from a similar injury and will fill the hooker spot on the replacement bench.
"It is not nice for Dan," said Farrell.
"He is a fantastic player on top of his form.
"I might sound like a broken record but this is exactly what will happen down the road in the World Cup.
"We will have a small squad and a 12 days turnaround, rightly so, for concussion.
"We will be numbers down but you have go with the punches.
"I am happy with the way the squad is developing and Rob has always added to the performance."
Herring will be partnered in the front row by Andrew Porter -- who will win his 50th cap -- and Finlay Bealham.
After an eyecatching turn against the Welsh, Australia-born Bealham gets another run-out as regular first-choice British and Irish Lions star Tadhg Furlong is still struggling with a calf injury.
Joining Porter on the 50-cap mark will be lock James Ryan, the pair having made their debuts together against the United States in June 2017, and replacement prop Dave Kilcoyne, who first donned the green jersey way back in November 2012.
The clash is a match-up between the two top ranked sides in the world with number one Ireland bidding for a record 13th successive home win.
France are on a record run of 14 consecutive victories under Fabien Galthie and are the last side to have beaten the Irish at Lansdowne Road, in the 2021 Six Nations.
Indeed the French are the sole top tier side that Farrell is yet to get the better of since he took over at the helm after the 2019 Rugby World Cup.
'Courageous'
Farrell said the job Galthie had done was mightily impressive.
"They are a fantastic team, I was speaking to Fabien Galthie at the Six Nations launch and congratulated him," said Farrell.
"They could not have done any better.The way they have played speaks volumes where they are at in this moment in time.
"The backroom staff and players have really got something going, indeed French rugby generally is buzzing at the moment."
However, Farrell says the Irish have their ways too of rattling the French, who were given a stern test by Italy last Sunday before winning 29-24.
"By playing our own game and making sure we are courageous to take our game to them and ask questions of their defence," said Farrell.
"We need to put in an 80 minute performance as breaking them down as a team is very tough."
Farrell, though, admitted he would rather be a fan come Saturday.
"I wish I was going down walking to the game with my mates, family, kids," said the 47-year-old Englishman.
"This is the type of game everyone wants to be part of.
"It's got a bit of spice about it."
Team (15-1)
Hugo Keenan; Mack Hansen, Garry Ringrose, Stuart McCloskey, James Lowe; Johnny Sexton (capt), Conor Murray; Caelan Doris; Josh van der Flier, Peter O'Mahony; James Ryan, Tadhg Beirne; Finlay Bealham, Rob Herring, Andrew Porter
Replacements: Ronan Kelleher, Dave Kilcoyne, Tom O'Toole, Iain Henderson, Jack Conan, Craig Casey, Ross Byrne, Bundee Aki
Coach: Andy Farrell (ENG)
