Caelan Doris is set to return as Ireland captain when the side to face Japan at the Aviva Stadium next Saturday (kick-off 12.40pm) is announced at noon on Thursday. Andy Farrell is expected to delve into his squad with several changes from the side which lost 26-13 against New Zealand in Chicago while retaining an experienced core.
In addition to Doris, who made an eye-catching return in Soldier Field for a total of 35 minutes off the bench after an absence of six months due to shoulder surgery, it seems likely that Jacob Stockdale will be chosen on the left wing.
The 29-year-old Ulster winger, player of the Six Nations in Ireland’s 2018 Grand Slam, has played just twice for Ireland since missing out on the 2023 World Cup, against Fiji last November and away to Georgia in June, before a shoulder injury ruled him against Portugal.
Tommy O’Brien and Jamie Osborne may be retained in the back three, with either Bundee Aki or Robbie Henshaw restored in midfield in the absence of Stuart McCloskey.
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The signs are that Jack Crowley will retain the 10 jersey, especially as his Munster halfback partner Craig Casey is in line to start at scrumhalf. Crowley earned the starting outhalf spot against the All Blacks after a strong start to the season and retaining him this week would make sense rather than alternating again with Sam Prendergast.
Rónan Kelleher appears in line to start at hooker, as he did in the opening two games of last year’s Six Nations against England and Scotland, and Thomas Clarkson seems set for a promotion to the match-day 23, be it from the off or off the bench.
Having had the red card he sustained in Chicago revoked by a disciplinary hearing, starting Tadhg Beirne again looks even more logical after he was wrongly restricted to less than three minutes against the All Blacks.
If ever there was a game to look at alternatives to Josh van der Flier at openside, then this would seem the game to start Nick Timoney. The 30-year-old Ulster player earned his fourth cap, and first since the Fijian game in November 2022, against Georgia in June.
The signs are that the uncapped Munster centre Tom Farrell will be named in the Irish matchday squad, potentially making the 32-year-old from Dublin the oldest back to make his debut for Ireland in the professional era.
Ireland (possible) v Japan: Osborne; T O’Brien, Ringrose, Aki/Henshaw, Stockdale; Crowley, Casey; Porter, Kelleher, Clarkson; Ryan, Beirne; Baird, Timoney, Doris (capt). Replacements: Boyle, Sheehan, Furlong, Henderson/Ahern, Conan/van der Flier, Gibson-Park, Prendergast, Farrell.
