'Ceiling is so high for him': Doris defends team-mate amid concerns

Ireland captain Caelan Doris insisted fly-half Sam Prendergast is making progress on his defensive deficiencies as he backed him to shine during the Guinness Six Nations.

Prendergast begins the 2026 championship as his country’s first-choice number 10 after being selected ahead of Jack Crowley and Harry Byrne for Thursday evening’s Paris showdown with defending champions France.

The Leinster playmaker, 22, emerged as the frontrunner to become the long-term successor to Johnny Sexton in the autumn of 2024 but was criticised for missed tackles as he and Crowley interchanged last November.

Back-rower Doris, who plays alongside Prendergast for club and country, said: “There’s great competition amongst the 10s, which is what we need.

“They’re all relatively young and have good heads on them and are driving each other in the right direction, which is great for the group.

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5 Feb 26

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“Sam’s been great. Obviously, his defence has caught quite a bit of flak, but it’s an area that… I’m in the same club as him in Leinster and I see day-to-day the work he puts in. Same here in camp.

“So that side of his game is improving. In terms of his attack, the ceiling is so high for him.

“He can do things that not many people can do at all, and he’s getting more and more confident at leading the week and being another voice, especially guiding our attack. I’ve got a lot of faith in him and I’m looking forward to seeing him lead us around tomorrow.”

Prendergast will start alongside his brother – Connacht flanker Cian Prendergast – in a relatively unfamiliar line-up dictated by a host of injury issues.

Ireland are back in the French capital for the first time since suffering an agonising 28-24 quarter-final defeat to New Zealand at the 2023 World Cup in former captain Sexton’s final match before retirement.

Andy Farrell’s side claimed successive Six Nations titles in 2023 and 2024 but will run out at a partisan Stade de France as underdogs after being dethroned by the pre-tournament favourites last year.

Doris said Ireland are determined to “embrace the hostility” as they seek to cause an upset.

Asked if he felt there was enough talent in the team to do so, the 27-year-old replied: “I do, yeah. I’m massively excited about the game. We’ve trained well. I think we’re in a good spot.

“It’s pretty much the pinnacle of the game really. We’ve had some fond memories here in the past through the World Cup and some not so good ones as well.

“But what’s been consistent throughout has been an unbelievable atmosphere.

“I really do think there’s an appetite to embrace the hostility or whatever comes our way. It’s going to be a special spectacle.”

France are boosted by the return of influential captain Antoine Dupont, who will make his first international appearance since rupturing an ACL in his nation’s 42-27 win in Dublin in March last year.

“He’s done me several times,” Doris said of Dupont’s threat.

“I’ve described him before as one of those little fish you try and touch and they dart away from you, and it’s true.

“He’s the heartbeat to their attack and it’s going to be a big challenge for us.”