(Adds quotes)
By Padraic Halpin
DUBLIN, Feb 10 (Reuters) - Ireland suffered a major blow
ahead of Saturday's clash against France after captain Johnny
Sexton was ruled out with a minor hamstring strain and his
understudy at flyhalf Joey Carbery was handed a first Six
Nations start.
Ireland have become increasingly reliant on Sexton in recent
years with injuries limiting Carbery to 28 caps, most off the
bench, and nobody else coming close to challenging the
36-year-old Leinster talisman for the number 10 jersey.
Coach Andy Farrell said he did not want to risk anything
that would take Sexton out of the competition completely.
Ireland's next game of the championship after the trip to Paris
is at home to Italy on Feb. 27.
"It's a small hamstring strain that's definitely going to
keep him out of this weekend but we don't envisage it being
difficult at all. It might be a week to 10 days," Farrell told a
news conference.
Carbery played in the last World Cup and came off the bench
to close out Ireland's first ever victory against New Zealand in
2016 but a succession of injuries has kept his Six Nations
involvement to just seven appearances off the bench.
Carbery was the only change from the side who cruised past
Wales 29-7 last weekend with fit-again British and Irish Lions
Robbie Henshaw and Iain Henderson coming in to add considerable
impact to the bench.
Ireland and France both beat New Zealand in some style last
November and top the Six Nations standings after opening their
campaigns with bonus-point wins.
Ireland team:
15. Hugo Keenan (Leinster) 17 caps
14. Andrew Conway (Munster) 28 caps
13. Garry Ringrose (Leinster) 38 caps
12. Bundee Aki (Connacht) 34 caps
11. Mack Hansen (Connacht) 1 cap
10. Joey Carbery (Munster) 28 caps
9. Jamison Gibson Park (Leinster) 13 caps
8. Jack Conan (Leinster) 23 caps
7. Josh van der Flier (Leinster) 36 caps
6. Caelan Doris (Leinster) 13 caps
5. James Ryan (Leinster, captain) 41 caps
4. Tadhg Beirne (Munster) 26 caps
3. Tadhg Furlong (Leinster) 53 caps
2. Ronan Kelleher (Leinster) 17 caps
1. Andrew Porter (Leinster) 41 caps
Replacements
16. Dan Sheehan (Leinster) 3 caps
17. Cian Healy (Leinster) 113 caps
18. Finlay Bealham (Connacht) 19 caps
19. Iain Henderson (Ulster) 65 caps
20. Peter O'Mahony (Munster) 80 caps
21. Conor Murray (Munster) 93 caps
22. Jack Carty (Connacht) 10 caps
23. Robbie Henshaw (Leinster) 53 caps
(Reporting by Padraic Halpin, editing by Ed Osmond)
((padraic.halpin@thomsonreuters.com; +353 1 500 1504; Reuters
Messaging: padraic.halpin.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net))
Keywords: RUGBY UNION NATIONS IRL/ (UPDATE 2)
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