Caelan Doris
Irish rugby union player
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Caelan Doris (born 2 April 1998) is an Irish professional rugby union player from the village of Lacken Co. Mayo. He plays as a number eight for United Rugby Championship club Leinster and the Ireland national team.
Doris playing for Ireland against Italy during the 2023 Six Nations. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | 2 April 1998 Ballina, Ireland | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Height | 1.93 m (6 ft 4 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 111 kg (245 lb; 17 st 7 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| School | Blackrock College | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| University | University College Dublin | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Early life
Doris was born in Lacken, County Mayo.[1] Doris's first involvement with rugby was with Ballina. He attended boarding school from the age of 12 onwards at Blackrock College in Dublin, where he was a member of the victorious Leinster Schools Rugby Senior Cup team in 2014[2] as well as captaining the 2016 side.[3] His father Chris had attended Blackrock College,[1] final year 1980, playing rugby at centre.[citation needed]
Doris gained a degree in psychology at University College Dublin.[4] He played two years on the Ireland Under-20 rugby team, the second as captain.[1]
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.[5] On 18 December 2023, the IRFU announced that Doris had been given a three-year 'central contract' paid by the union, extending his time at Leinster until July 2027.[6]
In April 2025, he was nominated for Champions Cup Player of the Year 2025.[7]
Ireland
Youth
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.[8] He has 14 Ireland under-20 caps despite being injured for the entire 2018 Six Nations Under 20 Championship.[9]
Senior
Doris received his first call up to the senior Ireland squad for the 2020 Six Nations Championship,[10] 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.[11] 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. Doris was selected by his fellow players as the Irish men’s Players’ Player of the Year 2023 at the Rugby Players Ireland awards.[12]
On 11 February 2024, Doris captained the Ireland team for the first time in their game against Italy in the Six Nations Championship.[13][14] In October 2024, he was named as squad captain ahead of the 2024 Autumn Nations Series.[15] In November 2024, he was nominated for World Rugby Player of the Year award for 2024 and named at No.8 in the 2024 World Rugby Dream Team of the Year.[16] He was named captain of the Irish squad ahead of the 2026 Six Nations.[citation needed]
Career statistics
List of international tries
| Number | Position | Points | Tries | Result | Opposition | Venue | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Flanker | 5 | 1 | Won |  New Zealand |
Aviva Stadium | 13 November 2021 |
| 2 | Number 8 | 5 | 1 | Won |  Argentina |
Aviva Stadium | 21 November 2021 |
| 3 | Number 8 | 5 | 1 | Won |  Wales |
Millennium Stadium | 4 February 2023 |
| 4–5 | Flanker | 10 | 2 | Won |  Italy |
Aviva Stadium | 5 August 2023 |
| 6 | Number 8 | 5 | 1 | Won |  Tonga |
Stade de la Beaujoire | 16 September 2023 |
| 7 | Number 8 | 5 | 1 | Won |  Fiji |
Aviva Stadium | 23 November 2024 |
| 8 | Number 8 | 5 | 1 | Won |  Australia |
Aviva Stadium | 30 November 2024 |
Honours
- Individual
- 1× Pro14 Young Player of the Year: 2020
- 1× Autumn Nations Series Player of the Series: 2021
- 1× IRUPA Players' Player of the Year: 2023
- 2× World Rugby Men's 15s Dream Team of the Year: 2023, 2024
- Leinster
- Ireland
- 2x Six Nations Championship: 2023, 2024
- 1x Grand Slam: 2023
- 4x Triple Crown: 2022, 2023, 2025, 2026
