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Ireland's Grand Slam hopes have been dealt a blow after captain Brian O'Driscoll and halfback Peter Stringer were both ruled out of tomorrow's international against France at Dublin's Croke Park - meaning New Zealand's Isaac Boss will have his first Six Nations start.
Centre O'Driscoll has a hamstring problem sustained in the tournament favourites' 19-9 first round win away to Wales last Sunday, while Stringer has a broken hand bone.
Shane Horgan will switch from the right wing to O'Driscoll's centre berth, while Geordan Murphy, named on the bench, takes the wing position vacated by Horgan.
Second row Paul O'Connell will captain Ireland in O'Driscoll's absence. Ireland's pack is unchanged from the one that played in Cardiff.
"Brian was close to being fit but felt a tightening of the hamstring," said Ireland coach Eddie O'Sullivan.
"Emotionally, it was a difficult decision to make but an easy one from a practical point of view.
"Isaac Boss will bring a different sniping game to Peter Stringer but, after his performances in the [northern] autumn, I have no worries about him."
Horgan, who has plenty of centre experience with Irish province Leinster, returned this week after missing Ireland's Millennium Stadium Six Nations opener with a knee injury sustained during a European Cup tie.
"He has trained well all week and has taken hits on the knee that was injured," O'Sullivan said of Horgan.
Monday's match will be the first rugby union international at Croke Park, the home of the nationalist Gaelic Athletic Association.
The association previously banned the playing of rugby and soccer at its grounds because of the sports' association with British imperial rule in Ireland.
Reigning Six Nations champions France started the defence of their title with a 39-3 thrashing of Italy in Rome.
Ireland's only Grand Slam was back in 1948, when the team won all its matches in what was then the Five Nations.
Ireland: Girvan Dempsey, Geordan Murphy, Shane Horgan, Gordon D'Arcy, Denis Hickie, Ronan O'Gara, Isaac Boss; Denis Leamy, David Wallace, Simon Easterby, Paul O'Connell (c), Donncha O'Callaghan, John Hayes, Rory Best, Marcus Horan. Replacements: Jerry Flannery, Simon Best, Mick O'Driscoll, Neil Best, Eoin Reddan, Paddy Wallace, Andrew Trimble.
France: Clement Poitrenaud, Vincent Clerc, David Marty, Yannick Jauzion, Christophe Dominici; David Skrela, Pierre Mignoni; Sebastien Chabal, Imanol Harinordoquy, Serge Betsen, Pascal Pape, Lionel Nallet, Pieter de Villiers, Raphael Ibanez (c), Sylvain Marconnet. Replacements: Sebastien Bruno, Olivier Milloud, Jerome Thion, Julien Bonnaire, Dimitri Yachvili, Lionel Beauxis, Cedric Heymans.
