Ireland v New Zealand: Irish captain Caelan Doris set for return against All Blacks after shoulder injury

Ireland forwards coach Paul O’Connell said captain Caelan Doris “feels really good” as his side prepare to face the All Blacks in Chicago on Saturday.

Leinster back row Doris has not played since his province’s defeat by Northampton Saints in the Champions Cup semi-finals in May.

He sustained a shoulder problem that required surgery in that game and missed the British and Irish Lions’ series win in Australia during the summer.

Despite not featuring in Leinster’s first five games of the 2025-26 United Rugby Championship, O’Connell said there has been “very little minding” of Doris in the build-up to Saturday’s contest at Soldier Field (20:10 GMT).

“He’s been through a very good return to play period now and he’s had a good few weeks,” said the former lock of the side’s skipper.

“There’s been very little minding of him or anything like that – there hasn’t been any.

“He’s fine, he’s trained really well, he feels really good, he’s shown no ill-effects whatsoever.”

Given Doris’ lack of match action, it remains to be seen whether he will face Scott Robertson’s side from the start or make his return from the bench.

“There’s one train of thought that says you start a guy like that because he could come on after a minute anyway, and there’s another train of thought that says you bring him off the bench,” added O’Connell.

Ireland have Jack Conan, who himself has not played since the Lions’ third Test against Australia in August, as another option at number eight.

For what is Andy Farrell’s first game in charge of the side for 11 months after his sabbatical leading the Lions to victory down under, Ireland’s 36-man squad travelled to Chicago last week with the full party taking part in training on Tuesday.

Bundee Aki (hip) and Robbie Henshaw (groin) were among the players who had travelled with knocks but O’Connell confirmed “everyone’s good to go”.

Back three players Hugo Keenan, Mack Hansen and Calvin Nash, as well as locks Joe McCarthy and Cormac Izuchukwu, did not travel because of injury.

Saturday’s game is the start of an autumn series that will also see Farrell’s side play Japan, Australia and South Africa in Dublin.