DECLAN KIDNEY HAS named his side to face Italy in Rome on Saturday in Ireland’s RBS Six Nations championship opener.

Fergus McFadden will start on the right wing in what will be his first senior cap. He will combine with Keith Earls and full back Luke Fitzgerald.

Injuries to Tommy Bowe, Andrew Trimble, Rob Kearney and Geordan Murphy have offered Leinster man McFadden a shot to impress on the big stage this weekend.

Tomás O’Leary’s inclusion at scrum half is possibly the biggest surprise in a side that contains nine changes from the team that faced Argentina last November.

Talismanic Munster captain Paul O’Connell returns to the second row alongside his old colleague Donncha O’Callaghan while Rory Best starts at hooker. Mike Ross will sample his first championship action at tight-head prop.

The Ireland boys are expecting a battle:

France coach Marc Lievremont, meanwhile, has sprung a major surprise ahead of his side’s opener against Scotland in Paris by picking Damien Traille at full-back.

And he’s left star centre Yannick Jauzion out of his matchday 22 altogether. Traille replaces Perpignan’s Jerome Porical in the number 15 shirt.

Ireland team to face Italy in RBS Six Nations championship, Stadio Flaminio, Rome on Saturday (3.30pm):

15 – Luke Fitzgerald
14 – Fergus McFadden
13 – Brian O’Driscoll (captain)
12 – Gordon D’Arcy
11 – Keith Earls
10 – Jonathan Sexton

9 – Tomas O’Leary
1 – Cian Healy
2 – Rory Best
3 – Mike Ross
4 – Donncha O’Callaghan
5 – Paul O’Connell
6 – Denis Leamy
7 – David Wallace
8 – Sean O’Brien

Replacements:

16 – Sean Cronin
17 – Tom Court
18 – Leo Cullen
19 – Shane Jennings
20 – Eoin Reddan
21 – Ronan O’Gara
22 – Paddy Wallace

Do you agree with Declan Kidney’s decisions?