Caelan Doris returns to captain Andy Farrell's Ireland, Joe McCarthy misses out  

Ireland's Caelan Doris. Pic: Ben Brady/Inpho

Caelan Doris will return to captain Ireland next month for a four-Test schedule described by head coach Andy Farrell as a great challenge against Southern Hemisphere opposition.

There is one uncapped player in Farrell’s 34-man squad selection unveiled on Wednesday with Leinster prop Paddy McCarthy named while Connacht wing Shayne Bolton, capped for the first time this summer, and uncapped Munster forwards Edwin Edogbo and Brian Gleeson will provide additional cover for the Gallagher Cup clash with New Zealand in Chicago in 17 days.

Doris missed almost certain selection by Farrell for this summer’s British & Irish Lions tour of Australia after requiring shoulder surgery following an injury in Leinster’s Champions Cup semi-final loss at home to Northampton Saints last May. 

The No.8 has yet to return to action with his province but the Leinster and Ireland medics are confident the 27-year-old will be ready to face New Zealand in a clash for the Gallagher Cup in Chicago on November 1.

Ireland will return to Dublin following their Soldier Field reunion with the All Blacks to kick off the Quilter Nations Series against Japan at Aviva Stadium on November 8, before Joe Schmidt brings his resurgent Australia squad to the Irish capital seven days later. Ireland’s Autumn programme winds up on Saturday, November 22, against back-to-back world champions South Africa.

Full-back Hugo Keenan, lock Joe McCarthy, wing Calvin Nash and lock/flanker Cormac Izuchukwu were not considered due to injury.

Keenan and McCarthy are the only absentees from Farrell’s 18-strong Irish Lions contingent which secured a 2-1 series victory over the Wallabies, while there are a dozen players who represented Ireland under interim head coach Paul O’Connell in the big wins over Georgia and Portugal.

Also included after being rested or missing out through injury over the summer are centre Robbie Henshaw, scrum-half Caolin Blade, and veteran lock Iain Henderson while Ireland tour captain and number nine Craig Casey is also named as he recovers from a hamstring issue sustained in URC round one in late September.

The Ireland squad will assemble at the IRFU High Performance Centre next Monday before travelling to Chicago the following day.

“There's an exciting look to the panel and there's an opportunity for the more experienced players and for those who made their debuts on the Summer Tour to Georgia and Portugal,” Farrell said. “The Coaching Team are looking forward to seeing all of the players take their opportunity over the coming weeks.

"This November’s Quilter Nations Series promises to be a great challenge. We’re playing four top-quality southern hemisphere teams who are all coming off the back of a busy block of matches of late and they’ll be keen to finish their year strongly. First up is New Zealand and we’re really excited to get back to Chicago for the Gallagher Cup match. 

"I’ve no doubt the Irish global supporter base will be out once again in force to cheer on the team in a brilliant city at a world-class arena.

"We’ve seen the strides Japan have made from their ever-improving domestic competition and how that has led to success on the field for the national team over the last number of years.

"The following weekend we welcome Australia, a side who we faced in a competitive 150th Anniversary match last November and who have made confident progressions since then through The British and Irish Lions Tour and into the Rugby Championship. 

"We have great respect for them and the Springboks, who we face in the final Test match of the calendar year the following week.

"We talk about it a lot but having a loud and vocal support at home in Aviva Stadium means everything to us. A strong Irish following can be such a positive point of difference and I know how excited each of the players are to represent their country. 

"It promises to be a cracking few weeks of international rugby."

The IRFU has also added an A international to the November schedule with an Ireland XV squad set to face Spain on Saturday, November 8 in Leganés, set to be named next week.

Ireland Squad - November 2025:

Forwards (19):

Thomas Ahern (Shannon/Munster)(2) Ryan Baird (Dublin University/Leinster)(29) Finlay Bealham (Corinthians/Connacht)(51) Tadhg Beirne (Lansdowne/Munster)(61) Jack Boyle (UCD/Leinster)(4) Thomas Clarkson (Dublin University/Leinster)(8) Jack Conan (Old Belvedere/Leinster)(51) Caelan Doris (St Mary’s College/Leinster)(51) – captain Tadhg Furlong (Clontarf/Leinster)(79) Iain Henderson (Academy/Ulster)(85) Rónan Kelleher (Lansdowne/Leinster)(39) Gus McCarthy (UCD/Leinster)(6) Paddy McCarthy (Dublin University/Leinster)* Andrew Porter (UCD/Leinster)(75) Cian Prendergast (UCD/Connacht)(5) James Ryan (UCD/Leinster)(72) Dan Sheehan (Lansdowne/Leinster)(32) Nick Timoney (Banbridge/Ulster)(4) Josh van der Flier (UCD/Leinster)(73) 

Backs (15):

Bundee Aki (Galwegians/Connacht)(65) Caolin Blade (Galwegians/Connacht)(3) Craig Casey (Shannon/Munster)(20) Jack Crowley (Cork Constitution/Munster)(26) Ciaran Frawley (UCD/Leinster)(9) Jamison Gibson-Park (Leinster)(43) Mack Hansen (Corinthians/Connacht)(28) Robbie Henshaw (Buccaneers/Leinster)(82) James Lowe (Leinster)(40) Stuart McCloskey (Bangor/Ulster)(21) Tommy O'Brien (UCD/Leinster)(2) Jamie Osborne (Naas/Leinster)(8) Sam Prendergast (Lansdowne/Leinster)(9) Garry Ringrose (UCD/Leinster)(67) Jacob Stockdale (Lurgan/Ulster)(39).

*denotes uncapped player