‘Performances And Evolution Of Our Game’ At The Forefront For Doris

Joining his fellow captains at the Championship’s launch in Edinburgh, this is Doris’ second year to lead the team into the Six Nations. His role is even more pronounced now, given the retirements of Peter O’Mahony, Cian Healy, and Conor Murray last season.

The addition of Billy Bohan due to Jack Boyle’s Achilles tendon injury means there are three uncapped players in the Ireland squad training in Portugal this week. It includes 16 players with 10 caps or less, and seven who have made their debuts since the summer of 2024.

Doris feels ‘privileged’ to captain the 37-player group preparing for Thursday week’s opener away to France, and says he is supported by ‘a great group of guys around me – some very capable players and leaders’.

Andy Farrell’s men bookended November with defeats to New Zealand and World champions South Africa, while winning the two Quilter Nations Series matches in between, against Japan and Australia. It left them with both positives and negatives to reflect upon, and plenty of work to do.

Ahead of their warm-weather training camp in Quinta do Lago, Doris said: “There is massive desire to improve, there’s desire to keep the evolution going in the right way. There’s some new faces in which is exciting, and getting them on the right trajectory and continuing to go in the right way.

“November was obviously mixed, both in terms of results and performances. If you look at the Australia game, there was definitely some pleasing things there and a record score against them.

“But New Zealand and South Africa, (we were) definitely not good enough. So it’s about continuing to work hard, continuing to build the right habits and hopefully that pays fruition in the games to come.

“At the core is still a lot of belief in what we’re doing and the coaches we have, the quality of player we have. So, we’re aware that it’s a big 10 days to prepare properly for what’s going to kick us off on Thursday week in Stade de France.”

Since making his return from shoulder surgery, Doris was ever-present for Ireland in the Quilter Nations Series, including a rare start at openside flanker. He has played in six of Leinster’s last eight games, chalking up the full 80 minutes each time.

The Mayo-born back rower won his 100th Leinster cap during their derby win away to Connacht last Saturday, and the consistency of his performances saw him selected as the only Irish nominee for this season’s Investec Player of the Year award.

With 57 carries so far, he is the Investec Champions Cup’s joint-third top carrier after four rounds, and is in the top 10 for running metres (342.6), attacking ruck arrivals (87), and defensive ruck arrivals (29). He has been Leinster’s leading tackler with 41 successful hits.

He certainly comes into the Six Nations battle-hardened by the province’s route through to the Champions Cup’s round of 16. That included testing encounters with La Rochelle and Bayonne, and that recent trip to Stade Jean Dauger was a good primer for what is come in Paris.

“I love the atmosphere over there (for matches in France). With Leinster, we’ve had a couple of away games recently, playing in Bayonne, which is pretty hostile with a lot of passionate supporters there.

“We’re expecting that on a macro level in Stade de France. I remember walking out onto the pitch in the warm-up and drums are going already. It’s packed already. So yeah, it’s a bit of a cauldron and we’re excited to see what we can do there.

“We had the same two years ago, I know it was Marseille rather than Stade de France, but I think traditionally we’ve done quite well at starting the tournament on the right note.

“We’ve got a 10-day period leading into this, and each meeting, each walk through, each training session we have matters, and trying to get the best out there. There’s going to be a big focus on a proper performance to start us off.

“We’re off to Portugal for a training camp there, and then transfer across to Paris early next week. It’s a short turnaround, not a whole lot of time, but it sharpens the mind definitely and it’s one to get excited about.”

Simon Easterby stepped up as interim head coach of Ireland for last year’s Six Nations, filling in during Farrell’s British & Irish Lions sabbatical. The only loss was a deflating 42-27 reversal at home to France which spoiled their three-in-a-row bid.

The team won a Triple Crown under Easterby’s stewardship, claiming the silverware in Cardiff, and Doris is delighted to have the pair back in tandem as head coach and defence coach respectively, along with the Lions players who have been well managed ‘game-time wise’ and are ‘fresh and raring to go’.

On the continuing impact and influence that Farrell has after six years in charge, the 27-year-old said: “I mean he’s such a talisman for us. He’s been in rugby environments since he was a teenager, consistently the whole way through.

“So he’s got a very good feel for what’s needed in the group, for how to manage days and the schedule in the week, as well as getting the emotional side of things right.

“I thought Si (Easterby) did a great job last year, but obviously having them both together is going to be even better.”

Asked about what success would look like for his side in the upcoming campaign, he replied: “I mean performances and evolution in terms of our game is definitely at the forefront, but you obviously hope that reflects in the results we get.

“Obviously targeting a win against France to start off and we’ll go from there. Hopefully momentum, as I mentioned up there (on stage). It’s so important in this tournament, so starting off on the front foot.”