'A good challenge' - Caelan Doris ready to lead Ireland into testing All Blacks reunion

Andy Farrell's side will kick off their November series against New Zealand on Friday night.

HANDS ON LEADER: Caelan Doris during Ireland's captain's run at the Aviva Stadium on Thursday. 

Ireland captain Caelan Doris is relishing the back-row battle with the All Blacks in Dublin on Friday night as he looks for his team to take another step forwards in its evolution against world-class opposition.

Doris will captain his country for the third time in his career at a sold-out Aviva Stadium having assumed leadership from Peter O’Mahony for this month’s Autumn Nations Series. It will be Ireland’s first meeting with New Zealand since a 28-24 World Cup quarter-final defeat in Paris 13 months ago and the No.8 is also eager to make amends for what he feels was a below-par individual performance at Stade de France that night.