The Irish management brought forward their team announcement for Saturday's game against France by 24 hours yesterday, but are perhaps keeping the biggest surprise for today.

Unusually, they have left a vacancy at open side wing-forward, pending this morning's training session, during or after which they will confirm whether Andy Ward of Ballynahinch will win his first cap or Kieron Dawson will gain his fourth.

If, as seems likely, Warren Gatland and his selectors opt for the 24-year-old New Zealander to make his debut, it will actually mean that one-third of the side will be altered from that which lost 16-15 at home to Scotland. A ghostly-looking Eric Miller was not considered for selection after contracting a lung infection. He is replaced by Victor Costello, while Rob Henderson replaces Mark McCall in midfield after the latter returned to London with badly bruised ribs. As expected, the Connacht half-back pairing of Conor McGuinness and Eric Elwood return at the expense of Brian O'Meara and David Humphreys.

For the unfortunate Miller, this is none too exceptional. A virus forced him out of the first Test for the Lions last summer, and he was subsequently unable to reclaim the number eight place from Tim Rodber, while he was replaced in the week of the Canadian match this season by Costello after sustaining an ankle injury.

The Leicester player did not appear at training and once Costello came through the Castletroy Hotel foyer at lunchtime, before Miller headed in the opposite direction after a meeting with the team doctor Donal O'Shaughnessy, the signal was clear.

'Eric Miller has an infection in his lungs which has blown up overnight,' confirmed Whelan. 'He had the flu yesterday and it's got worse. Mark McCall has badly bruised ribs and there isn't any way he could be available for selection.'

Regarding the enforced change at number eight, Gatland commented: 'I think one of the concerns of the side over the last few weeks is that we haven't had players of huge physical presence, and Victor comes in as a bigger player again. So we could tighten that area up quite nicely.'

Henderson hasn't played since injuring his groin while playing for Wasps on December 13th, save for half of a second XV game against Rosslyn Park and one full reserve game against Staines. But necessity being the mother of invention, he has been selected from the start.

'I talked to him before training today and he said he was fully fit and raring to go. We've got Mick Lynch there and if we can get 60 minutes out of Rob Henderson at 100 per cent, then that's probably going to be good enough,' said Gatland.

Indeed, the clear signals are that Gatland will utilise the seven-man replacements' bench far more than Brian Ashton did, and, indeed, is already allowing for mass substitutions in the second-half at the Stade de France.

'Don't be surprised if it is used,' he declared, with clear intent.

The knock-on effect of McCall's withdrawal not only sees Lynch promoted to the Irish bench, but Mervyn Murphy moves into the A team and Jan Cunningham onto the bench for the A game on Friday in Quimper. The ripple effect of Costello's promotion is that David Erskine moves to number eight from the blind side, with Eddie Halvey being moved from the bench, with his place filled by Alan Quinlan. This, too, is complicated by an injury doubt over Erskine.

Explaining the unusual decision to leave a vacancy at open-side wing-forward, Gatland dropped the broadest of hints that it would be filled by Andy Ward: 'It (the back-row) has been an area of concern over the last few games. I want to see how Kieron goes over the next few days and see how Andy fits into it. On Sunday, Kieron looked like a player who's been through a lot, being battered week-in and week-out at number seven playing in a side that's losing every week and that's just been a bit of a concern.'

That Ward has been playing his rugby in Division Three of the AIB League (from Collegians to France hardly seems ideal) must also constitute a concern.

'That's the reason we haven't named the position. We'll have another training run tomorrow. People are having a look at both of them from the sidelines and the fact that he (Ward) is playing in the third division is a bit of a concern, although they're one of the top sides and by all accounts, he's been the star performer week-in and week-out.'

Each of the changes made by choice demonstrate the clear mark of Gatland, and the more pragmatic and structured nature of the side, with a much greater emphasis on defence in that middle five of the side.

Elwood has been Gatland's tactical lynchpin and match-winner for Connacht this season. The revolving door at out-half is a bit regrettable, but Elwood is the more proven international and is mentally stronger than David Humphreys, who is currently playing and training with a broken toe. For this team's needs, at this point of time, it is much more of a horses-for-courses selection.

'I think Eric is experienced for a start,' said Gatland. 'He's an infectious influence on the team. Obviously, his defensive qualities are pretty well renowned and I just think we're looking for a general there at the moment and a player with a bit of confidence.'

McGuinness, by comparison, is by no means the finished article, but Gatland was saying before the player's debut against New Zealand game that he could ultimately become one of Ireland's most influential players.

Reiterating this, Gatland said: 'I personally believe that Conor is possibly a player who is still 12 months off being a real international scrum-half. But possibly by the World Cup, he could be a real match-winner for Ireland.' Elwood, along with Conor O'Shea, Keith Wood, Paul Wallace, Paddy Johns and David Corkery are the six survivors from the 32-15 defeat in Dublin a year ago. Maintaining recent trends, it's a little on the green side in every sense; for regardless of who's picked at flanker, nine of this side will be making their first appearance in Paris.

The team departs for Paris tomorrow. Both Whelan and Donal Lenihan will travel to Brittany on Friday for the A game, 'but Warren is staying in charge of the camp,' added Whelan.