Caelan Doris

Caelan Dorisis an Irish professional rugby union player who plays as a number eight for United Rugby Championship club Leinster and the Ireland national team.

Professional career

Leinster

After leaving school in 2016, Doris spent a year in the Leinster sub-academy before entering the academy in summer 2017. After a series of strong performances captaining the Ireland Under-20s, Doris was promoted two years early to Leinster's senior squad ahead of the 2018–19 season, after just one year in the academy, and having made his senior debut the previous season.

Ireland

Doris played for Ireland Under-20s in both 2017 and 2018, captaining them in the 2018 World Rugby Under 20 Championship. Despite a poor campaign from Ireland, he was one of the standout players of the tournament. He has 14 Ireland under-20 caps despite being injured for the entire 2018 Six Nations Under 20 Championship.

Doris received his first call up to the senior Ireland squad for the 2020 Six Nations Championship, and made his debut when he started at number 8 in Ireland's opening fixture against Scotland on 1 February 2020, though a concussion meant that his debut lasted only four minutes. Doris missed the 2021 Six Nations and returned to play for Ireland in the summer and autumn internationals playing a starring role in Ireland wins against Japan, New Zealand and Argentina. Doris also scored his first tries for Ireland in the matches against New Zealand and Argentina. Caelan Doris was selected by his fellow players as the Irish men’s Players’ Player of the Year 2023 at the Rugby Players Ireland awards.