O’Gara was awarded the man-of-the-match award after an impressive display against Scotland but was taken off with half an hour to go against Wales in the 19-12 defeat .

Sexton’s first involvement was to kick a ball straight out of play leading to Wales’ controversial winning try, but that has not stopped Kidney putting his faith in the Leinsterman.

Elsewhere Ulster’s Andrew Trimble comes in on the left wing for his first appearance of the championship with Keith Earls reverting to full-back.

Luke Fitzgerald, who has been largely disappointing drops out of the squad altogether with Paddy Wallace keeping his place on the bench.

And despite some concerns that Eoin Reddan would be ruled out with concussion, the scrum-half has been named in Kidney’s starting lineup for the Aviva Stadium clash.

15 - Keith Earls (Thomond/Munster)
14 - Tommy Bowe (Ospreys)
13 - Brian O’Driscoll (UCD/Leinster) (capt)
12 - Gordon D'Arcy (Lansdowne/Leinster)
11 - Andrew Trimble (Ballymena/Ulster)
10 - Jonathan Sexton (St. Mary's College/Leinster)
9 - Eoin Reddan (Lansdowne/Leinster)
1 - Cian Healy (Clontarf/Leinster)
2 - Rory Best (Banbridge/Ulster)
3 - Mike Ross (Clontarf/Leinster)
4 - Donncha O'Callaghan (Cork Constitution/Munster)
5 - Paul O'Connell (Young Munster/Munster)
6 - Sean O'Brien (Clontarf/Leinster)
7 - David Wallace (Garryowen/Munster)
8 - Jamie Heaslip (Naas/Leinster)
Replacements:
16 - Sean Cronin (Buccaneers/Connacht)
17 - Tom Court (Malone/Ulster)
18 - Leo Cullen (Blackrock College/Leinster)
19 - Denis Leamy (Cork Constitution/Munster)
20 - Peter Stringer (Shannon/Munster)
21 - Ronan O'Gara (Cork Constitution/Munster)
22 - Paddy Wallace (Ballymena/Ulster)