UCD second row Niall Breslin has had to withdraw through illness from the Ireland team for today's Under-21 international against France at Templeville Road (2.30). He is replaced by Connacht interprovincial Damien Browne (Galwegians), with Alan Maher (Dublin University) coming onto the bench.
Ireland were convincing winners over Italy (61-10) in Ostia a fortnight ago, but will require a marked improvement to trouble a French side that dismissed Scotland 32-15. The teams will be reasonably familiar to each other given Ireland travelled to Paris in November for a two-game series against the French. The senior Ireland team beat a team from the South of France, while the other Irish selection were heavily beaten by a Paris combination.
Against Italy, it was the pack who provided the platform for victory, especially the backrow of Alan Hickie, Neil McMillan and Des Dillon. When Ciaran Fitzgerald's side maintained a structure, they produced some excellent fare, but were guilty of sloppy execution when the game became looser.
Gordon D'Arcy grabbed a hat-trick of tries the last day and remains an obvious game breaker behind the scrum. Kieran Lewis and Maurice Lawlor are a well balanced midfield combination, while converted centre Gary Browne (left wing) and Andrew Maxwell know the shortest route to the try line.
This Irish side boasts great ability and a concentration on an expansive approach no matter the opposition mark them as a very entertaining side.
IRELAND UNDER-21: G D'Arcy (Lansdowne); A Maxwell (Ballymena), K Lewis (Dublin University), M Lawlor (Shannon, capt), G Browne (Blackrock College); G Duffy (Galwegians), P McCarthy (Dolphin); R Flanagan (Bruff), G Hickie (St Mary's College), N Treston (Blackrock College); M McCullough (Dublin University), D Browne (Galwegians); A Hickie (Dolphin), D Dillon (UCD), N McMillan (Leicester). Replacements: G Brady (Galwegians), B Lynn (UCD), B O'Riordan (UCD), S McPhillips (Saracens), H Bourke (Old Belvedere), A Maher (Dublin University), C Hartigan (Garryowen).
FRANCE UNDER-21: R Jaouher (Bourgoin); Y Larguet (Bourgoin), G Bousses (Toulouse), C Savignat (Brive), Jean Francois Coux (Bourgoin); J Peyrolongue (Biarritz), D Yachvili (Paris); M Larrouy (Pau), A Testa (Stade Francais), N Mas (Perpignan); S Pettigiani (Dax), M Sierra (Pau); M Diebolt (Bourgoin), C Tournier (Dax), S Azoulai (Perigueux). Replacements: C Charrier (Brive), R Cheron (Toulain), L Camisuli (Monferrand), M Balat (Stade Francais), Q Delatouche (Colomiers), Cedric Rosalen (Narbonne), F Larralde (Bayonnais).
Referee: J Barnard (England).
