Ireland sweat over captain ahead of Springbok showdown
IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Ireland captain Caelan Doris is facing a race against time to be fit for the Nations Championship which include a fixture against the Springboks.
Doris is set to miss Leinster’s United Rugby Championshop Round Two clash against Sharks as he continues his recovery from surgery.
Leinster head coach Leo Cullen was unable to put a definitive timeframe on the number eight’s return.
#SPOTLIGHT: Sharks coach on Leinster challenge: ‘It’s not about Joey v Jacques’👇#URC #Sharks #Leinster #SHAvLEI https://t.co/JA6D0t8wuE
— Rugby365 (@rugby365com) September 30, 2026
“He won’t be playing for us in this period, so in and around November or beyond,” Cullen told the Irish Times.
“I don’t know. I’m not trying to be smart here. I’m not 100 percent sure yet.”
The setback puts a massive question mark over his availability for Ireland’s Nations Championship campaign.
Ireland are set to face Fiji, Argentina and South Africa in November.
“I can’t answer that question [if Doris will be fit to play for Ireland]. I genuinely don’t know,” Cullen said.
The 27-year-old missed Ireland’s Nations Championship southern leg against Australia and New Zealand after suffering a foot injury during Leinster’s URC final victory over the Bulls.
He also underwent a procedure on his knee during his time away from the Ireland squad.
However, his recovery has subsequently taken longer than initially anticipated.
“He had surgery and originally I thought he would play for us in this first block of the season, but I think that’s just been pushed out of the loop itself. Exactly how far, I’m not sure.”
Source: Irish Times
VISA PRIORITY SALE LIVE NOW
Closes: 12:00pm AEST 30 Sep, 2026
Create and activate your ticketing account for a faster checkout experience when tickets go on sale.
