Caelan Doris takes the reins as new Ireland captain and warns: "Don't call us soft!"
by Derek Foley · Irish MirrorCaelan Doris has taken the reins as new Ireland captain and warned: "Don't call us soft!"
It's a message specifically directed at All Blacks perception that Ireland are decent opposition at mid-terms but roll over and fold at World Cups.
"I think if you look at the pack, obviously Tadhg Beirne at no6 and the two lads in the second-row Joe McCarthy and James Ryan, it's a pretty big and physical pack, and pretty fit as well, so yeah I don't overly buy into the idea we are soft."
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Moreover Doris will be leading an Ireland desperately looking to atone for losing a second consecutive World Cup quarter-final to the All Blacks, a 45-14 drubbing in 2019 followed by 28-24 defeat in 2023.
A squad that sees the winning tour to New Zealand two years back as a specific milestone, tough enough and rough enough to recover from an opening defeat in Auckland to win in both Dunedin and Wellington - a recovery that was anything but 'soft'.
"For me and for the team in general, some of our best memories are coming from playing against these guys whether it be over in New Zealand in 2022, the game here was probably one of my favourite games I've played ever.
"The feeling after, doing the lap with the crowd still there cheering, the atmosphere in general. The nature of the game, the extra level, you can feel the physicality going up a notch in these games. There's so much to look forward to."
The All Blacks, taken over by Scott Robertson at the start of this year, who are still in a state of transition and playing some expansive rugby - they are very hard to predict in open play.
"It's tricky because they can massively create something from nothing in terms of transitions or if there is scraps," continues Doris.
"They've guys like Mark Tele'a, Wallace Sititi, Ardie Savea, and so many throughout their team who can just turn it on and create a bit of magic for them.
"Obviously our connections in defence, being ahead of the game, trying to win scraps, all those little bits are important in trying to negate that threat, but it's definitely a big one."
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Ireland are without first-choice front-rows Dan Sheahan (long-term due to rupturing his ACL) and Tadhg Furlong who was withdrawn early this week with a minor hamstring problem.
Connacht's Finlay Bealham got the late call to the tight-head slot.
"I think it was 2023 when Tadhg was gone for the majority of the Grand Slam Six Nations and Finlay was unbelievable," says Doris confidently of one of only two players in the pack (the other is Tadhg Beirne) not at Leinster.
"He took his performances to another level and I think he's stayed there pretty consistently off the bench when Tadgh's there or starting in his absence. Yeah, we are looking forward to seeing that from him tomorrow."
This is a match Ireland can win and will win, insists the skipper.
"One of the strengths of our team and our attack is the ability to make the right decision at the line in terms of if there two people coming for one of our players that it opens up a hole somewhere else.
"On the quarter-final day we didn't get those decisions right but if two people are going on one player there's got to be space somewhere else so making the right decisions there on the night is going to be very important."
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