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Six Nations 2013: Paddy Jackson keeps place as Irish fly-half

Last updated on .From the section Rugby Unioncomments111

Paddy Jackson

Paddy Jackson has retained his place at fly-half for Ireland's Six Nations clash against France in Dublin.

Ian Madigan of Leinster earns his first call-up to a match-day squad as he is named as a replacement.

Coach Declan Kidney had left the number 10 place vacant as there had been a slight doubt over Jackson's fitness.

First choice fly-half Jonathan Sexton is out with a hamstring injury while record point scorer Ronan O'Gara was dropped from the Irish squad.

Sexton missed the Murrayfield game after being injured in Ireland's home defeat by England.

Jackson's team-mate, winger Craig Gilroy misses the France game because of a groin injury, so Leinster utility back Fergus McFadden is named at wing.

McFadden will offer a further kicking option for the Irish after Jackson's struggles at Murrayfield.

As expected, Cian Healy and Mike McCarthy replace Tom Court and Donncha O'Callaghan in the pack after missing the Scotland defeat in a side that shows three changes from the last outing.

The replacement tight head slot, which had been left vacant, has been given to the uncapped Munster prop Stephen Archer.

Jackson, 21, will be winning his second cap in Saturday's must-win showdown between the two biggest flops of this year's Six Nations.

"Paddy's hamstring first tightened up after Monday's session so there was a bit of concern about him," said Ireland team manager Mick Kearney on Thursday.

"He sat out the session on Tuesday, received treatment and did some light running in the afternoon.

"He then came through kicking at the Aviva Stadium yesterday afternoon very well, so that clarified things for us, but up until then there was some small doubt.

"There was no discomfort this morning so he will be fine."

Andrew Trimble's hopes of having his first involvement in this season's Six Nations have been dashed after Luke Fitzgerald was retained in the replacements.

Both Sexton and Gilroy are expected to be in contention for Ireland's final Six Nations game against Italy on 16 March.

Ireland: R Kearney; F McFadden, B O'Driscoll, L Marshall, K Earls, P Jackson, C Murray; C Healy, R Best, M Ross; M McCarthy, D Ryan; P O'Mahony, S O'Brien, J Heaslip

Replacements: S Cronin, D Kilcoyne, S Archer; D O'Callaghan, I Henderson, E Reddan; I Madigan, L Fitzgerald

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111 comments

  • Comment posted by User0644651011, at 16:15 5 Mar 2013

    I think that patience is definitely key for the young fly halves. I remember for a lot of his early caps people were asking for Sexton to be dropped, now he is the Lions fly half elect, it's amazing how quickly things change.

  • Comment posted by User0295963325, at 16:53 5 Mar 2013

    @6 And the best part is I'm sure you're the first to complain when someone calls the English arrogant!

  • Comment posted by dom, at 16:09 5 Mar 2013

    this was always going to be the start of the transition for Ireland. ROG, BOD, O'Connell are all coming to the end of the careers. so it is time to look to the next generation. Ireland will come back strong, that is for sure, but the players have big boots to fill.

  • Comment posted by JohnnyWAL, at 15:53 5 Mar 2013

    Start with Jackson call up Steenson to the squad, no pressure on him to perform or not takes pressure off of everyone and allows Madigan Jackson etc to develop and fight it out to be Sextons no.2 for the next WC

  • Comment posted by JohnnyWAL, at 16:19 5 Mar 2013

    @4 Agree never been impressed by McFadden or Earls, good club players but never stood out at top level. Very surprised by O'Brien and Heaslips form this tournament it has been non-existent, not the usual ball carrying and defensive forces they normally are. Peter O'Mahony has been a great find though, has been brilliant! Marshall looks like a good prospect so lots of positives for the future

  • Comment posted by Roarz, at 19:55 5 Mar 2013

    @ramo15 pretty sure leinster intend gopperth to be back up to madigan.

  • Comment posted by bilbo, at 16:35 5 Mar 2013

    If the injuries don't clear up and Kidney has to go back to o'Gara would that make his position untenable....especially if o'Gara then told him where to go?

  • Comment posted by JohnnyWAL, at 16:54 5 Mar 2013

    @14 as an opposition fan O'Mahony has been fantastic to watch and is an attacking back row player and has been good to watch.
    @16 yes O'Brien has been awful, a lot of carries but not much penetration, 1 on 1 with Halfpenny he got chopped down, how is that European player of the year form? He goes on his own to much but has now been found out and get's turned over or concede penalties

  • Comment posted by Silk, at 18:34 5 Mar 2013

    Mcfadden and Earls may or may not be "international standard" but Ireland's best 3 wingers are out injured. Not many teams could cope with the loss of 3 wingers. Look how poor France are without Clerc.

  • Comment posted by Eadric the Wild, at 10:12 6 Mar 2013

    . . . and if Jackson can't play, draft Steenson!

  • Comment posted by markyteee, at 13:13 7 Mar 2013

    Ireland have 'Other'. France have Michalak. In a match-up between the two, I'd suggest that 'Other' stands a better chance of controlling the game......

  • Comment posted by User0481424862, at 16:37 7 Mar 2013

    Picking on form?

    Jackson is in great form for his club, just like madigan and steenson.

    He is also first choice, and his club are 2nd in the Rabo league.

    That made his the right choice for Scotland and once that decision was made, it is only right to stick by him now rather that shatter his confidence.

  • Comment posted by User0698736559, at 08:12 6 Mar 2013

    I can understand dropping ROG if Ireland had enough young fly halves to put out in a squad, however the fact that he was dropped knowing that they didn't have one fit fly half in contention is, to say the least, puzzling.

    I think if Ireland are building for 2015, with young players, they also they need to look at a new coach. He's obviously not up to the task of preparing a well balanced squad.

  • Comment posted by Mike Ireland, at 08:19 6 Mar 2013

    @ 22 - You have hit the nail on the head!
    In the good old days Eddie O'Sullivan was clever enough to recognise that he did NOT need a fetcher, because Darcy and BOD were the most lethal fetchers in any team and that allowed him to use David Wallace in his team to do more ball carrying and link/continuity play.
    That was the key to any success Ireland has had over the last number of years.

  • Comment posted by User0295963325, at 17:05 5 Mar 2013

    @18 Such high praise for POM whilst dismissing SOB, even though statistically SOB has made more metres and more than twice the number of tackles POM has in the 3 games so far? In fact, SOB has made even more tackles than Robshaw, a tackling machine. He is having a fine season

    And one carry against Halfpenney is your way of judging his entire tournament to date? Ridiculous

  • Comment posted by TheLastKingOfEngland, at 17:29 6 Mar 2013

    What I never understood was with the last six nations Kidney took basically the same side he'd taken to the world cup, where they were knocked out to six nations opposition. Surely that should be a sign you need to change something to try and win?

  • Comment posted by Tom Rowlands, at 09:54 7 Mar 2013

    I don't think you can blame the IRFU for the state of the national team. They have been fairly progressive in terms of policy eg. limiting foreign players to one per position divided between the provinces to allow Irish youngsters game time. The U20s are P3, W1 at the moment (England the 1W), but the two losses were by 1 or 2 points.They are also current U18 6N champions so the players are there.

  • Comment posted by billyblue51, at 15:43 5 Mar 2013

    1#
    Oh dear I hope Ireland find a new replacment fly half soon who would be the new Ronan O gara, with sexten starting, hopefuly paddy can be the new man, come on ireleand beat france.

  • Comment posted by User0481424862, at 22:24 6 Mar 2013

    Agree totally about preping for WC NOW!! the "golden generation" got their grand slam. Should have at least 1 more but that's life.

    We need to blood for 2015 - jackson, madigan, gilroy, zebo, marshall all look like getting game time this campaign. would like to see stuart olden, felix jones, dave kearney, luke mcgrath, also get a chance.

    need to find front row players BADLY!

  • Comment posted by arborfield, at 10:45 6 Mar 2013

    The name is Steenson... doesn't Kidney know where Exeter is?

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