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Caelan Doris lets slip Ireland admission as Andy Farrell heads to exit

By PA
Ireland captain Caelan Doris speaking during a press conference after an Ireland rugby captain's run at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin. (Photo By Sam Barnes/Sportsfile via Getty Images)

Caelan Doris is confident he will continue to grow into the role of Ireland captain after ending a challenging month with a 22-19 comeback win over Australia.

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Doris was appointed to the position by head coach Andy Farrell ahead of the Autumn Nations Series and has been touted as a potential British and Irish Lions skipper for next summer’s three-Test tour against the Wallabies.

The 26-year-old claimed the second of Ireland’s three tries and was named man of the match on Saturday as the hosts scraped success over Joe Schmidt’s side to add to victories over Argentina and Fiji following a dispiriting defeat to New Zealand at the start of November.

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    “From an individual point of view, the more opportunities you get to do it, the more comfortable you become with the extra responsibilities,” said Doris.

    “I feel that there has been some growth there in the last number of weeks. I’m sure if I get to do it again, I’ll continue to grow. I’m confident in that.”

    Attack

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    Ireland trailed for most of an engrossing encounter with the Wallabies before Gus McCarthy’s 73rd-minute try set them on course for victory in Andy Farrell’s final match before his Lions sabbatical.

    Doris added to a first-half score from Josh van der Flier, while fly-halves Sam Prendergast and Jack Crowley contributed five and two points respectively as the home team overturned a 13-5 half-time deficit at the Aviva Stadium.

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    World player of the year nominee Doris, who replaced Peter O’Mahony as captain and appears to be the long-term successor to the retired Johnny Sexton, feels Ireland can regard an inconsistent autumn as a success.

    “I think so, I think there’s been growth from the first week,” said Doris, who deputised for O’Mahony as skipper during wins over Italy and South Africa earlier this year.

    “The message initially was that we need to see improvement, we need to keep evolving. Other teams are getting better, we need to as well.

    “That’s been the message throughout.

    Ireland <a href=
    Robbie Henshaw Caelan Doris” width=”1024″ height=”640″ /> Robbie Henshaw is tackled by Max Jorgensen – PA
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    “You’ve seen it in the results, probably saw it in the first half against Argentina, saw it last week (against Fiji) and against a better side (on Saturday), we saw it in parts, definitely not in full.”

    Defence coach Simon Easterby will lead Ireland’s Guinness Six Nations title defence and a subsequent summer tour in 2025.

    Doris has little concern about the transition during Farrell’s temporary absence.

    “(I) definitely have a lot of faith in the other coaches,” he said.

    “Faz (Farrell) is unbelievable, and when you’ve got such a big figure leaving you think there would be a void.

    “But it does tend to happen, I know from the likes of Sexto (Sexton) and Earlsy (Keith Earls) leaving, it kind of gets filled.

    “Of course you miss them, but the void gets filled by other people stepping up and the load being spread across the group a little bit more.

    “I’m not sure how it’s going to work but there’s definitely a lot of trust in the other guys as well.”

    Farrell hailed “nerves of steel” from rookie hooker McCarthy and praised the overall impact of his bench following his send-off success.

    Caelan Doris
    Ireland players huddle – PA

    McCarthy, 21, touched down for the second consecutive week after claiming a try on his debut in the 52-17 victory over Fiji.

    “I thought Gus was excellent again,” said Farrell.

    “I mean, he had nerves of steel. A young kid coming on in that type of pressurised situation when things weren’t smooth in the lineout at times, but when he came on he nailed everything, and to score the try as well…

    “There’s a little bit of you’ve nothing to lose when you’re behind and the performance isn’t as good as it should be.

    “But they (the replacements) didn’t just try to fit in, they tried to add in many departments but mainly with the energy and the grunt, so I was delighted with the bench.”

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    I
    IkeaBoy 5 hours ago
    Why Les Kiss and Stuart Lancaster can lead Australia to glory

    “Why are you so insistent on being wrong? Man United won in 2008 (beating Chelsea in the final). In 2009 Barcelona won, beating United.”

    Good lad, just checking. So you’re not a bot! Chelsea bombed the 2008 final more than United won it. John Terry… couldn’t happen to a nicer fella.


    “The gap between wins ignores the finals contested. 2 in 2 years with his City Triumph. The most recent put him in the elite company of managers to have won it with multiple clubs. Yet more late career success and history.”

    Again - you’re not correct. City won the CL in 2023, and made the final in 2021. Those are the only two CL finals they have made.”

    So the difference between 2021 and 2023 would of course be TWO YEARS. 24 months would account for 3 different seasons. They contested ECL finals twice in two years. The first in 2021 - which they lost - was still the first elite European final in the clubs then 141 year history. Explain clearly how that’s not an achievement? Guess what age he was then…


    “I think your take on Gatland is pretty silly. Gatland was without Edwards in the 2013 and 2017 Lions tours and managed to do alright.”

    I thought you don’t care what certain managers did 10 years ago…

    Why would I address Eddie Jones? Why would he be deserving of a single sentence?


    “I am aware Les Kiss has achieved great things in his career, but I don’t care what he did over ten years ago. Rugby was a different sport back then.”

    So you haven’t watched even a minute of Super Rugby this year?


    “lol u really need to chill out”

    Simply frightful! If you’re not a bot you’re at least Gen-Z?

    171 Go to comments
    f
    fl 6 hours ago
    Why Les Kiss and Stuart Lancaster can lead Australia to glory

    “Pep didn’t win the ECL in 2009. It was 2008 with Barca”

    Why are you so insistent on being wrong? Man United won in 2008 (beating Chelsea in the final). In 2009 Barcelona won, beating United.


    “The gap between wins ignores the finals contested. 2 in 2 years with his City Triumph. The most recent put him in the elite company of managers to have won it with multiple clubs. Yet more late career success and history.”

    Again - you’re not correct. City won the CL in 2023, and made the final in 2021. Those are the only two CL finals they have made. With Barcelona, Pep made the semi final four consecutive times - with City he’s managed only 3 in 8 years. This year they didn’t even make the round of 16.


    To re-cap, you wrote that Pep “has gotten better with age. By every measure.” There are some measures that support what you’re saying, but the vast majority of the measures that you have highlighted actually show the opposite.


    I am aware Les Kiss has achieved great things in his career, but I don’t care what he did over ten years ago. Rugby was a different sport back then.


    I think your take on Gatland is pretty silly. Gatland was without Edwards in the 2013 and 2017 Lions tours and managed to do alright. You’ve also not addressed Eddie Jones.


    I agree wrt Schmidt. He would ideally be retained, but it wouldn’t work to have a remote head coach. He should definitely be hired as a consultant/analyst/selector though.


    “Look at the talent that would be discarded in Schmidt and Kiss if your age Nazism was applied.”

    lol u really need to chill out lad. Kiss and Schmidt would both be great members of the coaching set up in 2025, but it would be ridiculous to bank on either to retain the head coach role until 2031.

    171 Go to comments
    I
    IkeaBoy 6 hours ago
    Why Les Kiss and Stuart Lancaster can lead Australia to glory

    Pep didn’t win the ECL in 2009. It was 2008 with Barca. The gap between wins ignores the finals contested. 2 in 2 years with his City Triumph. The most recent put him in the elite company of managers to have won it with multiple clubs. Yet more late career success and history.


    His time with City - a lower win ratio compared to Bayern Munich as you say - includes a 100 PT season. A feat that will likely never be surpassed. I appreciate you don’t follow soccer too closely but even casual fans refer to the sport in ‘pre and post Pep’ terms and all because of what he has achieved and is continuing to achieve, late career. There is a reason that even U10’s play out from the back now at every level of the game. That’s also a fairly recent development.


    How refreshing to return to rugby on a rugby forum.


    Ireland won a long over due slam in 2009. The last embers of a golden generation was kicked on by a handful of young new players and a new senior coach. Kiss was brought in as defence coach and was the reason they won it. They’d the best defence in the game at the time. He all but invented the choke tackle. Fittingly they backed it up in the next world cup in their 2011 pool match against… Australia. The instantly iconic image of Will Genia getting rag-dolled by Stephen Ferris.


    His career since has even included director of rugby positions. He would have an extremely good idea of where the game is at and where it is going in addition to governance experience and dealings. Not least in Oz were many of the players will have come via or across Rugby League pathways.


    Gatland isn’t a valid coach to compare too. He only ever over-achieved and was barely schools level without Shaun Edwards at club or test level. His return to Wales simply exposed his limitations and a chaotic union. It wasn’t age.


    Schmidt is open to staying involved in a remote capacity which I think deserves more attention. It would be a brain drain to lose him. He stepped in to coach the ABs in the first 2022 test against Ireland when Foster was laid out with Covid. They mullered Ireland 42-19. He was still heavily involved in the RWC 2023 quarter final. Same story.


    Look at the talent that would be discarded in Schmidt and Kiss if your age Nazism was applied.

    171 Go to comments
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