After a winning start against Italy last weekend, Ireland coach Eddie O'Sullivan has moved Andrew Trimble to centre alongside captain Brian O'Driscoll in midfield after injury to Gordon DArcy. Robert Kearney starts on the left wing with Murphy moving to the right.
Bernard Jackman, who came off the bench against Italy, starts at hooker for the first time in a Six Nations game in place of Rory Best who is among the replacements. Leinster's Jamie Heaslip comes in at No.8, with Denis Leamy moving to the blindside and Simon Easterby among the replacements.
The other change sees Shane Horgan, who came through the Ireland A game at Welford Road last Friday, named in the replacements.
Ireland team (v France, Saturday):
15 Girvan Dempsey (Terenure College/Leinster)
14 Geordan Murphy (Leicester Tigers)
13 Brian O'Driscoll (UCD/Leinster, captain)
12 Andrew Trimble (Ballymena/Ulster)
11 Robert Kearney (UCD/Leinster)
10 Ronan O'Gara (Cork Constitution/Munster)
9 Eoin Reddan (London Wasps)
1 Marcus Horan (Shannon/Munster)
2 Bernard Jackman (Clontarf/Leinster)
3 John Hayes (Bruff/Munster)
4 Donncha O'Callaghan (Cork Constitution/Munster)
5 Malcolm O'Kelly (St Mary's College/Leinster)
6 Denis Leamy (Cork Constitution/Munster)
7 David Wallace (Garryowen/Munster)
8 Jamie Heaslip (Clontarf/Leinster)
Replacements
16 Rory Best (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster)
17 Tony Buckley (Shannon/Munster)
18 Mick O'Driscoll (Cork Constitution/Munster)
19 Simon Easterby (Llanelli Scarlets)
20 Peter Stringer (Shannon/Munster)
21 Paddy Wallace (Ballymena/Ulster)
22 Shane Horgan (Boyne/Leinster)
