Caelan Doris Included in Ireland Squad But McCarthy Misses Out

Returning manager Andy Farrell has included captain Caelan Doris in his Irish team for the fall matches, however lock McCarthy is absent.

Doris, absent from play since undergoing shoulder surgery in the start of May, recently returned to provincial training, with doubts lingering if he will be fit to play against the All Blacks in Chicago on 1 November.

Second row Joe McCarthy, however, was not considered after failing to recover from the foot injury suffered during the opening Lions match against the Wallabies in the summer.

Northern province player Izuchukwu and southern province winger Calvin Nash are also absent due to injury, while number 15 Hugo Keenan was previously excluded after having hip surgery following the Lions tour.

Dublin province prop McCarthy - Joe's younger brother - is the only new member in the 34-man group, however Irish rugby authorities states new provincial pair Edwin Edogbo and Brian Gleeson and previously capped western province winger Shayne Bolton will travel to Chicago as "cover".

After playing the New Zealand at the Chicago stadium in a rematch of their previous encounter, Ireland will play Japan, Australia and world champions the Springboks in the Irish capital.

"It's an exciting group to the squad and it's a chance for the veteran players and for the newcomers on the recent tour to Georgia and Portugal," commented Farrell, who returns to national team duties after taking a sabbatical to coach the British and Irish Lions to the southern hemisphere.

In a mostly familiar-looking selection, Leinster's Prendergast and the southern club's Jack Crowley will once again vie for the starting number 10 position. The number 10 jersey is still available, as the two players poised to play against each other for the first time in Saturday's United Rugby Championship match at the Dublin venue.

Ciaran Frawley is the additional number 10 selected with Farrell opting against selecting Leinster's Harry Byrne.

At number 9, Farrell has picked British and Irish Lion Jamison Gibson-Park and Craig Casey, who led the national side to the summer Test wins over Georgia and the Lobos. There is also a return for Connacht's Caolin Blade, who is preferred to teammate Ben Murphy.

Henshaw, Bundee Aki, Garry Ringrose and McCloskey represent an veteran group of midfield choices. Osborne is a further choice in the midfield, but the 23-year-old is additionally a frontrunner to deputise for the full-back at number 15.

Wingers James Lowe, Mack Hansen, O'Brien and Stockdale are named. The winger impressed on his first Ireland outings over the summer with a brace each in the victories over the Lelos and the Lobos.

McCarthy is the sole fresh name in the Irish pack. The front rower has started two of his province's URC league matches this season and played in Ireland A's loss by England in the English city previously.

The 22-year-old was selected in caretaker coach O'Connell's summer squad, but did not earn a cap.

Munster lock Ahern, who received his first two caps in those Tests, is kept in the squad, while veteran Ulster second row Iain Henderson is back after missing the summer matches.

Jack Conan, who started all three Lions matches over the summer, is set to deputise for Doris should the skipper does not regain fitness soon enough to face the All Blacks.

The national team will meet in Dublin on Monday before traveling to the US on Tuesday.

Forwards (19): Thomas Ahern (Munster), Baird (Leinster), Bealham (Province), Beirne (Munster), Jack Boyle (Leinster), Thomas Clarkson (Leinster), Conan (Province), Caelan Doris (Leinster, capt), Tadhg Furlong (Leinster), Henderson (Ulster), Kelleher (Province), Gus McCarthy (Leinster), Paddy McCarthy (Province), Porter (Leinster), C Prendergast (Province), Ryan (Leinster), Dan Sheehan (Leinster), Timoney (Ulster), van der Flier (Leinster).

Backline (15): Bundee Aki (Province), Caolin Blade (Province), Casey (Munster), Jack Crowley (Munster), Ciaran Frawley (Leinster), Gibson-Park (Leinster), Hansen (Province), Robbie Henshaw (Leinster), Lowe (Leinster), Stuart McCloskey (Ulster), Tommy O'Brien (Province), Jamie Osborne (Leinster), Sam Prendergast (Leinster), Garry Ringrose (Leinster), Stockdale (Province).

Kick-off times

• Ireland v New Zealand, 1 November, Soldier Field (20:10)
• Ireland v the Brave Blossoms, 8 November, Dublin (12:40)
• Ireland v Australia, 15 November, Aviva Stadium (20:10)
• The Irish v the Springboks, 22 November, Aviva Stadium (17:40)