'Lingering frustration' for Ireland before tilt at Six Nations history

Ireland captain Caelan Doris said there's a feeling in the camp that they did not reach their potential during the November internationals. 

Ireland’s Caelan Doris at the launch of the 2025 Guinness Men’s Six Nations Championship at the Colosseum in Rome. Picture: ©INPHO/Billy Stickland

Caelan Doris is targeting the best set of performances in his Guinness Six Nations career when he leads Ireland into the championship for the first time over the next two months.

The 24-year-old No.8 has been in imperious form captaining Leinster in the Champions Cup this month, following up a blockbuster display in the victory at La Rochelle in round three with a telling cameo off the bench in the home win over Bath last Saturday. Now he is hoping that can carry into the opening round clash with England at Aviva Stadium in 10 days having admitted he wants to up his game on the Six Nations stage in his sixth championship since a Test debut against Scotland in 2020.

Having agreed that he was in the best form going into a Six Nations this year, Doris said: “I think each year you look at your game and you try to add different strings… or trying to get better at some of the basics and fundamentals. I’ve been pretty happy with how I’ve gone so far this season.

“It’s obviously a big competition. I felt I haven’t had my best performances in it across the five games over the last few years. It’s something I’m excited to try and do.” 

After captaining Ireland during the Autumn Nations Series, Doris crossed off another perk of leadership in Rome at the Six Nations launch on Tuesday when he took part in the official photoshoot set in the spectacular surroundings of the Colosseum.

“That was cool earlier on. A nice start to the day. Beautiful city, I’m loving it,” he said, before adding that Ireland’s ideal scenario would be returning to Rome for their final-round meeting with Italy on St Patrick’s weekend with a chance of retaining the trophy for a first three in a row in Six Nations history.

“Momentum is obviously so big in this competition it’s hard to look past England. Getting that performance right will set us up well for the rest of the competition but if you don’t get it right, you’re clutching straws already, so all focus is currently on England.” 

Nonetheless, Doris conceded that going back-to-back-to-back was “an exciting prospect”.

“Our focus has largely been on reaching our potential and more process than outcome focussed. There’s a little bit of lingering frustration around the autumn, a feeling that we didn’t reach our potential, that there’s so much more growth within us. So, we’ll be trying to chase that down.

“I think the belief is that if we do chase that down then good things will follow. It’s an exciting time.”