Dempsey has been struggling with a groin injury since the new year but played in Ireland's opening victory over Scotland at Murrayfield before failing a late fitness ahead of the win in Italy.

But Irish coach Eddie O'Sullivan named the Leinster number 15 in his starting line-up to face the French at Lansdowne Road, moving stand-in Geordan Murphy from his favoured position to the right wing.

O'Sullivan said: "Girvan has trained this week without any problems but there can be reaction to groin injuries as we discovered after the game in Scotland. For now it looks like he's going to be fine."

The only other conundrum facing the Irish selectors is whether to recall a fit-again Ronan O'Gara at the expense of David Humphreys, who turned in back-to-back man-of-the-match performances in the opening two games as his Munster rival recovered from an ankle injury.