Jackson handed fly-half role

Ireland will start with Paddy Jackson at fly-half for Saturday's RBS 6 Nations clash with France at the Aviva Stadium.

Jackson has passed a fitness test on the minor hamstring strain sustained during training on Monday, enabling him to continue in the number 10 jersey with Ian Madigan offering cover from the bench.

Team manager Mick Kearney has also revealed that Munster prop Stephen Archer will fill the third vacancy left in the team that was announced on Tuesday after being selected on the bench.

Ireland team: R Kearney (Leinster); F McFadden (Leinster), B O'Driscoll (Leinster), L Marshall (Ulster), K Earls (Munster); P Jackson (Ulster), C Murray (Munster); C Healy (Leinster), R Best (Ulster), M Ross (Leinster), M McCarthy (Connacht), D Ryan (Munster), P O'Mahony (Munster), S O'Brien (Leinster), J Heaslip (Leinster, capt).

Replacements: S Cronin (Leinster), D Kilcoyne (Munster), S Archer (Munster), D O'Callaghan (Munster), I Henderson (Ulster), E Reddan (Leinster), I Madigan (Leinster), L Fitzgerald (Leinster).

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