Doris Secures Spot in Irish Team But Joe McCarthy Misses Out

Returning manager Andy Farrell has named skipper Caelan Doris in his Ireland squad for the autumn Tests, however lock McCarthy misses out.

Doris, who has not played since undergoing a shoulder operation in the start of May, has come back to Leinster training, with doubts lingering if he will be ready to face New Zealand in Chicago on 1 November.

Lock McCarthy, on the other hand, was not considered after failing to recover from the foot injury suffered during the opening British and Irish Lions Test against Australia in the summer.

Ulster forward Cormac Izuchukwu and southern province winger Calvin Nash are also absent because of fitness concerns, and full-back Hugo Keenan was previously excluded after having a hip operation following the summer tour.

Dublin province prop McCarthy - the brother of Joe - is the sole new player in the 34-man group, however Irish rugby authorities states new provincial duo Edogbo and Gleeson and once-capped Connacht winger Shayne Bolton will travel to the US as "reserves".

Following facing the All Blacks at the Chicago stadium in a repeat of their 2016 meeting, Ireland will play the Brave Blossoms, Australia and world title holders the Springboks in the Irish capital.

"It's an exciting group to the panel and it's a chance for the more experienced members and for the newcomers on the recent tour to Georgia and the Lobos," commented the coach, who returns to Ireland duty after taking a sabbatical to coach the Lions tour to the southern hemisphere.

In a largely experienced selection, Leinster's Sam Prendergast and the southern club's Jack Crowley will once again vie for the starting fly-half spot. The fly-half role is still available, with Prendergast and Crowley set to play against each other for the first occasion in the upcoming URC game at Croke Park.

Frawley is the third fly-half chosen as Farrell opting against selecting Leinster's Byrne.

At number 9, the Ireland boss has picked British and Irish Lion Jamison Gibson-Park and Craig Casey, who captained Ireland to the summer international wins over Georgia and Portugal. Additionally, there is a return for the western province's Caolin Blade, chosen to teammate Ben Murphy.

Robbie Henshaw, Bundee Aki, Ringrose and McCloskey form an veteran group of centre options. Osborne is a further choice in the midfield, but the 23-year-old is also a frontrunner to cover for Keenan at number 15.

Outside backs Lowe, Hansen, Tommy O'Brien and Stockdale are named. The winger impressed on his first Ireland outings during the summer with two tries apiece in the victories over Georgia and the Lobos.

McCarthy is the only new addition in the Ireland forwards. The loose-head prop has been in a couple of his province's three league matches so far and played in the second string's defeat by England in the English city earlier this year.

McCarthy was selected in caretaker coach Paul O'Connell's summer selection, but did not receive a international appearance.

Munster second row Thomas Ahern, who received his debut appearances in those matches, is kept in the squad, and experienced Ulster lock Iain Henderson returns after missing the summer tour.

Conan, who started all three Lions matches during the tour, is set to deputise for the captain should the skipper fails to recover fitness soon enough to play the All Blacks.

The national team will meet in Dublin on Monday before flying to Chicago on the following day.

Pack (19): Ahern (Province), Ryan Baird (Province), Finlay Bealham (Connacht), Tadhg Beirne (Munster), Boyle (Leinster), Clarkson (Leinster), Jack Conan (Province), Doris (Province, capt), Furlong (Province), Henderson (Province), Kelleher (Province), Gus McCarthy (Province), P McCarthy (Leinster), Andrew Porter (Leinster), Cian Prendergast (Province), Ryan (Province), Dan Sheehan (Province), Timoney (Province), Josh van der Flier (Province).

Backline (15): Aki (Connacht), Blade (Province), Casey (Munster), Crowley (Munster), Frawley (Province), Gibson-Park (Leinster), Mack Hansen (Connacht), Henshaw (Province), James Lowe (Leinster), Stuart McCloskey (Ulster), O'Brien (Province), Jamie Osborne (Province), S Prendergast (Leinster), Garry Ringrose (Leinster), Stockdale (Province).

Kick-off times

• Ireland v the All Blacks, November 1, Chicago (20:10)
• The side v Japan, November 8, Aviva Stadium (12:40)
• Ireland v Australia, 15 November, Aviva Stadium (20:10)
• The Irish v South Africa, November 22, Dublin (17:40)