Fabien Galthie names unchanged starting line-up for France’s clash with Ireland

The reigning Grand Slam champions travel to Dublin following an unconvincing win over Italy

France head coach Fabien Galthie has stuck with the starting XV which scraped past Italy (John Walton/PA) (PA Wire)

France head coach Fabien Galthie has named an unchanged starting XV for Saturday’s crunch Guinness Six Nations clash with Ireland.

The reigning Grand Slam champions travel to Dublin after beginning the championship with an unconvincing 29-24 success away to Italy.

Despite surviving a scare in Rome, Galthie has kept faith with his team going into a potential title decider at the Aviva Stadium.

His only changes come on the bench where Toulouse back-rower Francois Cros and Lyon scrum-half Baptiste Couilloud replace La Rochelle lock Thomas Lavault and Racing 92 number nine Nolann Le Garrec.

Captain Antoine Dupont will once again lead his country, continuing his half-back partnership with Toulouse team-mate Romain Ntamack.

Les Bleus are bidding for a 15th successive victory to put themselves in pole position to retain the Six Nations title.

Galthie’s men have won all three previous meetings with Andy Farrell’s Ireland and are the only visiting team to triumph in Dublin since the 2019 World Cup – a 15-13 success in 2021.

France team: T Ramos (Toulouse); D Penaud (Clermont), G Fickou (Racing 92), Y Moefana (Bordeaux), E Dumortier (Lyon); R Ntamack (Toulouse), A Dupont (Toulouse, capt); C Baille (Toulouse), J Marchand (Toulouse), U Atonio (La Rochelle), T Flament (Toulouse), P Willemse (Montpellier), A Jelonch (Toulouse), C Ollivon (Toulon), G Alldritt (La Rochelle).

Replacements: G Barlot (Castres), R Wardi (La Rochelle), S Falatea (Bordeaux), R Taofifenua (Lyon), F Cros (Toulouse), S Macalou (Stade Francais), B Couilloud (Lyon), M Jalibert (Bordeaux).