Cautious approach to Paris

Ireland Squad v France: Paris in the springtime is traditionally the graveyard of Irish rugby ambition - 2000 being an obvious exception in recent times - and it's usually with a degree of trepidation that the national team pitches up in the French capital.

It has never been viewed as an opportunity to blood the young or inexperienced, so it's hardly a surprise that Ireland coach Eddie O'Sullivan has refrained from experimentation: he has made a conservative squad selection.

Gordon D'Arcy, who didn't make the World Cup squad, and Tyrone Howe, flown to Australia as a replacement during the tournament, have both made the match 22 for Ireland's opening game of the Six Nations Championship against France at Stade de France tomorrow week. The Irish team will be announced on Tuesday following training at Naas RFC.

D'Arcy will be anticipating a double cause to celebrate next Tuesday as he hopes to mark his 24th birthday with a call-up to the national side. He owes his place in the squad to a series of excellent performances for Leinster, both in the European Cup and the Celtic League. Enjoying an extended run at full back in the latter competition, he demonstrated his versatility to more than adequately fill the gap left by Brian O'Driscoll's injury at provincial level.

D'Arcy acquitted himself admirably at outside centre, although it is possibly at full back that he stands the best chance of winning a sixth cap. He may, though, have to content himself with a place on the bench for the Paris game.

Howe is considered to be the in-form winger in Irish rugby and that earns him a place ahead of Munster duo John Kelly and Anthony Horgan. The former is definitely unlucky to be overlooked. Given the composition of the squad it is reasonable to assume that Howe will be on the left wing at the Stade de France.

O'Driscoll's hamstring is a cause for concern, although the player himself has suggested he might make it and that the progress he has made to date, since sustaining the damage in Leinster's European Cup defeat by Sale at Lansdowne Road, is heartening.

O'Sullivan is cautiously optimistic: "We're going to leave it as late as we possibly can. There genuinely won't be any news until next week. At the moment he's undergoing intensive rehabilitation so it's just a case of having to wait and see."

It's unlikely that the Irish captain will be risked for one match if it jeopardises his participation in the rest of the tournament.

If O'Driscoll is ruled out then John Kelly is the likely choice ahead of the in-form Mike Mullins. D'Arcy and Rob Henderson would offer alternatives, although plumping for the latter would mean playing two ostensibly inside centres - Kevin Maggs is likely to be handed the number-12 jersey - together.

Up front, props Reggie Corrigan and Marcus Horan have both been included despite being hampered by niggling injuries. O'Sullivan explained: "The two props have made big progress this week and we are confident that both will be fine."

They'll need to be because the French will ruthlessly expose weaknesses in the Irish scrum.

Keith Wood's retirement means that the hooking role will go to either Shane Byrne or Frankie Sheahan. Sheahan underwent a minor knee operation but is already back in full training. He had previously undergone two "clean-out" procedures and is adamant that he will be fit for the fray if required in Paris.

There isn't really a surprise in the back five. Simon Easterby proved last weekend, by his display for Llanelli against Northampton, that a trifling thing like a broken bone in his hand doesn't affect his performance.

David Wallace's form for Munster meant that he pushed hard without quite making it. O'Sullivan admitted: "The back row is always a tight call and he (Wallace) was definitely in the mix."

The Irish coach has demonstrated loyalty to several players despite erratic current form and must reasonably expect them to shake off those sub-standard performances.

Despite the traditional assertion that Paris is a difficult place for tyros, far better for Ireland to try and win, rather than try not to lose. The World Cup quarter-final will serve as an incentive and/or a portent, depending on one's perspective. O'Sullivan mused: "We know that going to Paris is going to be very difficult. We were pretty disappointed with our first-half display in Melbourne and this is an opportunity to address that."

The Irish squad break from their training camp at midday today and then return on Sunday night to follow their normal routine for an away Test match. There is nothing routine about the assignment that faces them and for O'Sullivan and his management team the easier part of the equation is to choose the starting XV.

None of the match 22 will be available to their provinces for this weekend's Celtic League matches, but those who were yesterday dropped by O'Sullivan from the original extended squad of 34 are now free to return to provincial duty.

BACKS: G Dempsey (Leinster); G D'Arcy (Leinster), S Horgan (Leinster), B O'Driscoll (Leinster, capt), T Howe (Ulster), K Maggs (Bath), D Humphreys (Ulster), R O'Gara (Munster), G Easterby (Rotherham), P Stringer (Munster).

FORWARDS: R Corrigan (Leinster), M Horan (Munster), S Byrne (Leinster), F Sheahan (Munster), J Hayes (Munster), D O'Callaghan (Munster), P O'Connell (Munster), M O'Kelly (Leinster), S Easterby (Llanelli), A Foley (Munster), V Costello (Leinster), K Gleeson (Leinster).