IT REMAINS TO be seen if Caelan Doris can do his usual trojan shift for Ireland.
He has become the 80-minute man for this team in recent years.
Doris has started 20 games for Ireland over the last two seasons and gone the distance in 18 of them.
The two games he was subbed off in were big wins over Romania and Tonga in the 2023 World Cup pool stages. The job was done when Doris was called ashore. Ireland certainly don’t haul him off when games are in the balance.
Having the captain back in the starting team to face France on Saturday is a massive boost given how important his all-action play is. He is a leader by example. There aren’t many areas of the game in which Doris doesn’t have a big influence.
Ireland boss Simon Easterby said today that Doris is at “full fitness” but in the next breath, indicated that his decision to go for a 6/2 split on the Irish bench was because they needed to have “good coverage” for the starting back row.
Ryan Baird and Jack Conan will provide that cover. Easterby acknowledged that Doris has been able to “get himself right from an injury which other players might not have been able to do in a short space of time.” The knee brace Doris wore in recent weeks wasn’t for show.
We will wait to find out if Doris can do the full 80 once again, but it wouldn’t be a shock if Conan ends up at number eight at some stage in the second half, even if he first comes on at blindside. That’s where Conan usually comes on in the same back row as Doris.
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Having Conan fit is another huge boost for Ireland following his back injury against Wales last time out. Conan started that game superbly, continuing his excellent form off the bench in the opening two rounds of the Six Nations. He has long been a crucial component in Ireland’s frontline matchday 23.
Baird seems likely to end up at blindside, where Peter O’Mahony starts. O’Mahony is different to Doris in that the Wales game was the first time O’Mahony played the full 80 minutes since the Romania clash at the World Cup.
With Doris missing in Cardiff two weekends ago and Conan forced off early in the second half, as well as original replacement back row Cian Prendergast having been ruled out after falling ill the night before, Ireland were stretched.
Conan has been a game-changer off the bench for Ireland several times. Ben Brady / INPHO
Ben Brady / INPHO / INPHO
Josh van der Flier shifted to number eight, O’Mahony moved to the openside, and Baird came on at blindside. Ireland’s 6/2 means anything similar should be avoided in the forward pack on Saturday.
This is the first time Ireland have gone for a 6/2 since they lost to England in Twickenham on this exact Six Nations weekend last year.
Right wing Calvin Nash was forced off with a head injury six minutes into that game, with Ciarán Frawley coming on at fullback and Hugo Keenan moving to the wing. Frawley was then injured in the second half, with Conor Murray coming on at scrum-half and Jamison Gibson-Park moving to the right wing for the last 30 minutes.
Gibson-Park is an excellent makeshift wing but that experience showed the risks involved in a 6/2, never mind the 7/1 France have gone for.
James Ryan will offer major impact again this Saturday as Ireland’s replacement second row, while Ireland will be looking for a big performance from their back-up front row.
Tadhg Furlong came up short in his bid to make a comeback so Thomas Clarkson will look to take another big step up in his Test career as tighthead cover for Finlay Bealham.
Jack Boyle is edged out for the replacement loosehead slot by the sheer experience of Cian Healy, whose scrummaging has remained rock-solid but who will likely have been disappointed with missed tackles during his two short cameos in this Six Nations so far.
Easterby is backing the veteran to deliver once again in his final home game, although the reality is that Porter will do another lengthy shift unless he gets injured. Healy’s stints off the bench have been short in his last few appearances for Ireland – 10 minutes, 6, 13, 13, 6, 23, 16, 13, 9, 8, 27.
Rob Herring’s return as the sub hooker instead of 21-year-old Gus McCarthy isn’t a big surprise. The Irish coaches are excited about McCarthy’s potential and have already notably backed him, but Herring has proven himself in the biggest games before.
Herring’s set-piece nous that has made him a favourite in this Irish set-up and while he doesn’t have the same size or athleticism as Rónan Kelleher – ruled out through injury again – or Dan Sheehan, he certainly doesn’t shirk anything when it comes to physicality. Ireland will be tested at the set-piece and Herring’s sound throwing and scrummaging give Easterby and co. assurance.
Rob Herring celebrates the second Test win in South Africa last summer. Dan Sheridan / INPHO
Dan Sheridan / INPHO / INPHO
All of that said, France will likely feel that their replacement front row of Cyril Baille, Julien Marchand, and Dorian Aldegheri could be an advantage in their favour.
Murray and Jack Crowley are the two Irish backs on the bench, while right wing Jamie Osborne’s versatility gives them options to rejig if they’re hit by injuries.
Crowley can play at out-half, inside centre, or fullback.
Osborne can play at inside centre, outside centre, left wing, or fullback.
Fullback Keenan has started games on the left wing and right wing for Ireland.
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Starting scrum-half Gibson-Park has impressed on the wing for Ireland a couple of times after moving there during games, while Murray has also popped up on the wing before.
Outside centre Robbie Henshaw has started a Test at fullback, while number eight Doris moved to outside centre for the closing seven minutes of Ireland’s win over Fiji last November.
Josh van der Flier, Irish rugby’s very own Swiss army knife, has played on the wing for Leinster, as well as throwing into lineouts for Ireland.
Is it tempting fate to mention that O’Mahony played on the wing for Ireland in 2013?
The point is that Ireland feel confident that a 6/2 bench split isn’t leaving them overly exposed, all the more so when compared with France’s 7/1.
Several times before, the opposition’s bench composition has been a big talking point before an Ireland game only for the Irish bench to have a bigger impact.
That was the case at the World Cup when Ireland’s 5/3 had a more notable say in deciding the game than South Africa’s 7/1.
With the Six Nations title on the line this Saturday, Ireland will need something similar.
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Ireland get huge Doris and Conan boost but will need big bench impact
IT REMAINS TO be seen if Caelan Doris can do his usual trojan shift for Ireland.
He has become the 80-minute man for this team in recent years.
Doris has started 20 games for Ireland over the last two seasons and gone the distance in 18 of them.
The two games he was subbed off in were big wins over Romania and Tonga in the 2023 World Cup pool stages. The job was done when Doris was called ashore. Ireland certainly don’t haul him off when games are in the balance.
Having the captain back in the starting team to face France on Saturday is a massive boost given how important his all-action play is. He is a leader by example. There aren’t many areas of the game in which Doris doesn’t have a big influence.
Ireland boss Simon Easterby said today that Doris is at “full fitness” but in the next breath, indicated that his decision to go for a 6/2 split on the Irish bench was because they needed to have “good coverage” for the starting back row.
Ryan Baird and Jack Conan will provide that cover. Easterby acknowledged that Doris has been able to “get himself right from an injury which other players might not have been able to do in a short space of time.” The knee brace Doris wore in recent weeks wasn’t for show.
We will wait to find out if Doris can do the full 80 once again, but it wouldn’t be a shock if Conan ends up at number eight at some stage in the second half, even if he first comes on at blindside. That’s where Conan usually comes on in the same back row as Doris.
Having Conan fit is another huge boost for Ireland following his back injury against Wales last time out. Conan started that game superbly, continuing his excellent form off the bench in the opening two rounds of the Six Nations. He has long been a crucial component in Ireland’s frontline matchday 23.
Baird seems likely to end up at blindside, where Peter O’Mahony starts. O’Mahony is different to Doris in that the Wales game was the first time O’Mahony played the full 80 minutes since the Romania clash at the World Cup.
With Doris missing in Cardiff two weekends ago and Conan forced off early in the second half, as well as original replacement back row Cian Prendergast having been ruled out after falling ill the night before, Ireland were stretched.
Josh van der Flier shifted to number eight, O’Mahony moved to the openside, and Baird came on at blindside. Ireland’s 6/2 means anything similar should be avoided in the forward pack on Saturday.
This is the first time Ireland have gone for a 6/2 since they lost to England in Twickenham on this exact Six Nations weekend last year.
Right wing Calvin Nash was forced off with a head injury six minutes into that game, with Ciarán Frawley coming on at fullback and Hugo Keenan moving to the wing. Frawley was then injured in the second half, with Conor Murray coming on at scrum-half and Jamison Gibson-Park moving to the right wing for the last 30 minutes.
Gibson-Park is an excellent makeshift wing but that experience showed the risks involved in a 6/2, never mind the 7/1 France have gone for.
James Ryan will offer major impact again this Saturday as Ireland’s replacement second row, while Ireland will be looking for a big performance from their back-up front row.
Tadhg Furlong came up short in his bid to make a comeback so Thomas Clarkson will look to take another big step up in his Test career as tighthead cover for Finlay Bealham.
Jack Boyle is edged out for the replacement loosehead slot by the sheer experience of Cian Healy, whose scrummaging has remained rock-solid but who will likely have been disappointed with missed tackles during his two short cameos in this Six Nations so far.
Easterby is backing the veteran to deliver once again in his final home game, although the reality is that Porter will do another lengthy shift unless he gets injured. Healy’s stints off the bench have been short in his last few appearances for Ireland – 10 minutes, 6, 13, 13, 6, 23, 16, 13, 9, 8, 27.
Rob Herring’s return as the sub hooker instead of 21-year-old Gus McCarthy isn’t a big surprise. The Irish coaches are excited about McCarthy’s potential and have already notably backed him, but Herring has proven himself in the biggest games before.
Herring’s set-piece nous that has made him a favourite in this Irish set-up and while he doesn’t have the same size or athleticism as Rónan Kelleher – ruled out through injury again – or Dan Sheehan, he certainly doesn’t shirk anything when it comes to physicality. Ireland will be tested at the set-piece and Herring’s sound throwing and scrummaging give Easterby and co. assurance.
All of that said, France will likely feel that their replacement front row of Cyril Baille, Julien Marchand, and Dorian Aldegheri could be an advantage in their favour.
Murray and Jack Crowley are the two Irish backs on the bench, while right wing Jamie Osborne’s versatility gives them options to rejig if they’re hit by injuries.
Crowley can play at out-half, inside centre, or fullback.
Osborne can play at inside centre, outside centre, left wing, or fullback.
Fullback Keenan has started games on the left wing and right wing for Ireland.
Starting scrum-half Gibson-Park has impressed on the wing for Ireland a couple of times after moving there during games, while Murray has also popped up on the wing before.
Outside centre Robbie Henshaw has started a Test at fullback, while number eight Doris moved to outside centre for the closing seven minutes of Ireland’s win over Fiji last November.
Josh van der Flier, Irish rugby’s very own Swiss army knife, has played on the wing for Leinster, as well as throwing into lineouts for Ireland.
Is it tempting fate to mention that O’Mahony played on the wing for Ireland in 2013?
The point is that Ireland feel confident that a 6/2 bench split isn’t leaving them overly exposed, all the more so when compared with France’s 7/1.
Several times before, the opposition’s bench composition has been a big talking point before an Ireland game only for the Irish bench to have a bigger impact.
That was the case at the World Cup when Ireland’s 5/3 had a more notable say in deciding the game than South Africa’s 7/1.
With the Six Nations title on the line this Saturday, Ireland will need something similar.
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