Doris Makes Ireland Team But McCarthy Left Out

Returning manager the Ireland coach has included skipper Caelan Doris in his Irish team for the fall internationals, however Joe McCarthy is absent.

The captain, absent from play since having a shoulder operation in the start of May, has come back to Leinster training, with doubts lingering if he will be fit to play against the All Blacks in the US on 1 November.

Lock McCarthy, however, was not considered after not recovering from the foot issue suffered during the first British and Irish Lions Test against the Wallabies in July.

Northern province forward Izuchukwu and southern province winger Calvin Nash are also absent because of fitness concerns, while full-back Hugo Keenan was previously excluded after having a hip operation after the summer tour.

Dublin province prop McCarthy - the brother of Joe - is the sole uncapped player in the 34-player group, but the Irish Rugby Football Union states new Munster pair Edogbo and Brian Gleeson and once-capped western province wing Shayne Bolton will head to Chicago as "backup".

After playing the New Zealand at Soldier Field in a repeat of their previous meeting, the team host the Brave Blossoms, the Wallabies and world champions the Springboks in the Irish capital.

"It's an exciting group to the panel and there's an opportunity for the veteran players and for those who made their debuts on the summer tour to the Lelos and Portugal," commented the coach, back to national team duties after a break to lead the Lions tour to Australia.

In a largely experienced squad, Leinster's Sam Prendergast and the southern club's Crowley will once again compete for the starting fly-half spot. The fly-half role is remains available, with Prendergast and Crowley poised to play against each other for the first time in Saturday's United Rugby Championship match at Croke Park.

Ciaran Frawley is the additional fly-half chosen with the coach opting against selecting the province's Byrne.

At scrum-half, the Ireland boss has picked British and Irish Lion Jamison Gibson-Park and Casey, who led the national side to the summer Test victories over the Lelos and Portugal. Additionally, there is a return for Connacht's Caolin Blade, chosen to club-mate Murphy.

Robbie Henshaw, Aki, Garry Ringrose and McCloskey form an experienced group of centre choices. Jamie Osborne is another option in the centres, but the 23-year-old is additionally a leading candidate to deputise for the full-back at full-back.

Outside backs Lowe, Mack Hansen, Tommy O'Brien and Jacob Stockdale are named. O'Brien impressed on his first Ireland outings over the summer with a brace each in the victories over Georgia and the Lobos.

Paddy McCarthy is the sole fresh addition in the Irish forwards. The front rower has started a couple of his province's URC United Rugby Championship games this season and featured in Ireland A's defeat by the English in the English city previously.

The 22-year-old was included in interim boss Paul O'Connell's summer squad, yet did not earn a international appearance.

Southern province lock Ahern, who received his debut appearances in those Tests, is retained, and veteran Ulster lock Henderson is back after missing the summer matches.

Conan, who played in all three Lions matches during the tour, is set to cover for the captain should the skipper fails to recover fitness in time to face New Zealand.

The national team will assemble in the capital on Monday before traveling to the US on Tuesday.

Pack (19): Ahern (Munster), Baird (Province), Finlay Bealham (Province), Beirne (Munster), Jack Boyle (Leinster), Clarkson (Leinster), Jack Conan (Province), Caelan Doris (Leinster, captain), Tadhg Furlong (Leinster), Henderson (Ulster), Kelleher (Leinster), Gus McCarthy (Province), P McCarthy (Province), Andrew Porter (Leinster), Cian Prendergast (Connacht), James Ryan (Leinster), Dan Sheehan (Leinster), Timoney (Province), Josh van der Flier (Province).

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

Times BST

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