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Doris to captain Irish for first time in Italy Six Nations match / Photo: CLEMENT MAHOUDEAU - AFP
Doris to captain Irish for first time in Italy Six Nations match
Caelan Doris, 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 on Sunday.
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 scrum-half alongside his Munster teammate Jack Crowley, who impressed in the defeat of the French in Marseille.
First choice scrum-half Jamison Gibson-Park is on the bench.
Not one Ulster player featured in the matchday 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.
For Ryan it is a welcome break as, for so long seen as Johnny Sexton's successor as skipper, his star has waned due to fitness and form problems.
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.
Conan's fellow Lion prop Tadhg Furlong is also rested so Finlay Bealham, who started in three of Ireland's five Six Nations matches last year, comes in for him.
The Irish will be odds on favourites to win against Italy, who pushed them hard last year, only losing 30-24.
The Italians also gave England a run for their money in their 27-24 opening defeat last Saturday in Rome but will know they have to raise their level even higher against a team they have beaten just once in the Six Nations.
Team (15-1)
Hugo Keenan; Calvin Nash, Robbie Henshaw, Stuart McCloskey, James Lowe; Jack Crowley, Craig Casey; Ryan Baird, Caelan Doris (capt), Jack Conan; Joe McCarthy, James Ryan; Finlay Bealham, Dan Sheehan, Andrew Porter
Replacements: Ronan Kelleher, Jeremy Loughman, Tom O'Toole, Iain Henderson, Josh van der Flier, Jamison Gibson-Park, Harry Byrne, Jordan Larmour
Coach: Andy Farrell (ENG)
I.Moreau--PS
