Caelan Doris standing on shoulders of past giants ahead of Italy tie

CAPTAIN'S RUN: Ireland's Caelan Doris during a press conference at the Stade de France in Paris, France. Picture date: Friday October 13, 2023.

Caelan Doris will captain Ireland at senior level for the first time when they face Italy in Dublin on Sunday, but the 25-year old has had no shortage of inspiration and examples to follow as he gets to grips with the task.

The Leinster back row was told he would be wearing the armband on Tuesday when head coach Andy Farrell confirmed to him that the recently-appointed Peter O’Mahony would not be available for this second Six Nations game of 2024.

A big moment in any player’s career.

“Delight was the initial feeling but also nerves and excitement and finding my feet in the new role for the week. There’s been a bit of mixture of all that but it’s a pretty cool honour to have for the week.

"I was even on the phone to Sexto, to Johnny there during the week,” he explained after the team’s captain’s run at the Aviva Stadium.

“We’re lucky in the squad we’ve got so many leaders back in their provinces and when they come into camp too.

“There are a few key figures for us who aren’t involved this week but I’ve been leaning on them big time and then the likes of James Ryan, Iain Henderson… There are plenty of leaders within the team for this weekend.” 

Doris captained Ireland at U20s level and held the same honour for the first time with Ulster earlier this season but he is also part of a senior leadership group with both club and country and, as such, knows that this a collective of men to lean on.

All the feedback has touched on a unifying theme: be yourself. That will extend all the way through to the minutes prior to kick-off, when the team contracts into one last tight huddle, and Doris will feel no pressure to deliver any tub-thumping exhortations.

“There’s part of me that feels I need to do that, but just talking to Faz this morning he basically said the contrary of that, to do it in your own way and that you don’t need to have these big speeches prepped, so that was nice to hear from him.”

Caelan Doris during a press conference. Pic Credit: Dan Sheridan, Inpho.

Ireland have made half-a-dozen changes from the XV that eviscerated France in Marseille last Friday week and there will be an onus on those given the nod to maintain that momentum with a performance and a result of note.

That hasn’t always happened when Farrell has reached further down the depth chart but Doris was, understandably, enthusiastic about the prospect despite a number of changes which include his own switch from No.8 to openside flanker.

"It’s a pretty exciting team, a few new combinations. Craig [Casey] starting at 9, he’s been class for Munster over the last while, delighted to see him get an opportunity. Lads have been putting their hands up.

"Big Joe [McCarthy] goes in the second row again, he’s been class.

"Crowler [Jack Crowley] at ten, who’s another leader, he’s been leading us well and doing the same at Munster, so there’s enough experience there and older heads but there’s excitement over the younger guys."