Six Nations: Jonathan Sexton, Jamie Heaslip and Sean O'Brien recalled by Ireland

Ireland coach Joe Schmidt has recalled Jonathan Sexton, Jamie Heaslip and Sean O'Brien for Saturday's Six Nations game against France.

The British and Irish Lions trio are joined by fellow tourist Rory Best, who has passed a concussion testing, for the Dublin showdown on Saturday.

Sexton is back after completing his mandatory 12-week stand-down after suffering concussion four times during a 12-month period.

The Racing Metro fly-half replaces Ian Keatley while Best, the country's most-capped hooker, will make his 80th Test appearance.

France have made no secret of a desire to send juggernaut centre Mathieu Bastareaud down fit-again Sexton's channel from the off at the Aviva Stadium and Schmidt said Sexton, and Ireland as a collective, will not be fazed by any early bombardment.

"Their tactics will be whatever they will be and we will look to counter them - and the best place to do that will be Saturday," said Schmidt.

"I don't think they will deprive themselves of their wide talents, so I think they will mix their tactics up a bit.

"Johnny's very fit, he's done a lot of training with us, he's spent the last 12 weeks training; he just hasn't done any contact.

"He's done plenty of contact this week and he's primed and ready to go. I think he's feeling very fresh. Sometimes the reverse can happen when you do a lot of contact and you feel very beaten up."

Best was removed as a precaution after a heavy bang to the head in Ireland's 26-3 victory in Italy last weekend, and missed training as a result on Tuesday.

He has completed all the return-to-play protocols, however, and despite Schmidt usually demanding all his players train the Tuesday before a Test in order to merit selection, the Kiwi head coach has made an exception for trusted lieutenant Best.

Flanker O'Brien has his second chance to make his first international appearance since November 2013 after a hamstring tweak forced him out in the warm-up in Italy last weekend.

The 27-year-old has made a quick recovery and will start his first match following a 14-month lay-off due to consecutive shoulder reconstructions.

Number eight Heaslip returns to the starting line-up after shoulder and knee problems, while Isaac Boss retains his place on Ireland's bench despite Eoin Reddan's return to fitness.

Leinster and Lions prop Cian Healy is back after the hamstring trouble that dogged him since September to take a seat alongside Reddan but Keatley drops out of the squad altogether despite starting at fly-half in Rome last weekend.

Leinster's Ian Madigan covers all inside-back positions and full-back from the Irish replacements.

Ireland: 15 Rob Kearney, 14 Tommy Bowe, 13 Jared Payne, 12 Robbie Henshaw, 11 Simon Zebo, 10 Jonny Sexton, 9 Conor Murray; 1 Jack McGrath, 2 Rory Best, 3 Mike Ross, 4 Devin Toner, 5 Paul O'Connell (c), 6 Peter O'Mahony, 7 Sean O'Brien, 8 Jamie Heaslip.

Replacements: 16 Sean Cronin, 17 Cian Healy, 18 Martin Moore, 19 Iain Henderson, 20 Jordi Murphy, 21 Isaac Boss, 22 Ian Madigan, 23 Felix Jones.