Doris cracks the nod as Irish skipper

– Caelan Doris (right)), seen by many as a future Ireland captain, gets a chance to prove his credentials as he will skipper the Irish in their Six Nations match against Italy tomorrow.

The 25-year-old flanker, who has been a pivotal member of the team since Andy Farrell gave him his debut in 2020, gets his chance due to permanent captain Peter O’Mahony being rested.

Farrell has made six changes to the starting XV that dismantled the French for a record 38-17 away win in France.

He has opted to either rest players or give those with minor niggles more time to recover ahead of the potentially tougher home game with Wales in a fortnight.

Ireland are bidding to make it two wins from two and remain on track to become the first team to win successive Grand Slams in the history of the Six Nations.

Farrell has taken the opportunity to give Craig Casey a start at scrumhalf alongside his Munster team-mate Jack Crowley, who impressed in the defeat of the French in Marseille.

First choice scrumhalf

Jamison Gibson-Park is on the bench.

Not one Ulster player featured in the match-day 23 last Friday but this time Farrell has brought in Stuart McCloskey in the centres – Bundee Aki has a hamstring issue – whilst veteran lock Iain Henderson is on the bench.

The absence of Tadhg Beirne, who has barely had a break since the Irish began their Rugby World Cup campaign last September, gives James Ryan a start in the second row.

He will bed down in the second row with Joe McCarthy, who was Man-of-the-Match against France.

Farrell’s wealth of choice in the back row permits him to put 2022 world Player-of-the-Year Josh van der Flier on the bench and start with British and Irish Lion Jack Conan and the highly-rated Ryan Baird alongside Doris. –