Caelan Doris Makes Ireland Squad But Joe McCarthy Left Out

Newly reappointed head coach Andy Farrell has named skipper Caelan Doris in his Irish team for the fall internationals, however Joe McCarthy misses out.

Doris, absent from play since having a shoulder operation in early May, has come back to provincial training, though his fitness is uncertain if he will be fit to play against New Zealand in Chicago on November 1.

Second row McCarthy, however, did not make the cut after not recovering from the foot issue suffered during the opening British and Irish Lions Test against Australia in the summer.

Northern province forward Izuchukwu and southern province wing Calvin Nash are not included due to fitness concerns, and full-back Hugo Keenan was previously excluded after undergoing hip surgery following the Lions tour.

Leinster prop McCarthy - the brother of Joe - is the sole uncapped member in the 34-player squad, but Irish rugby authorities says uncapped Munster duo Edwin Edogbo and Brian Gleeson and once-capped western province winger Bolton will head to Chicago as "backup".

After playing the All Blacks at Soldier Field in a rematch of their 2016 meeting, the team host the Brave Blossoms, the Wallabies and world champions South Africa in the Irish capital.

"It's an exciting group to the panel and there's an opportunity for the veteran members and for the newcomers on the summer tour to Georgia and the Lobos," said the coach, who returns to Ireland duty after a break to coach the British and Irish Lions to the southern hemisphere.

In a largely familiar-looking squad, the Dublin club's Prendergast and the southern club's Crowley will again vie for the first-choice fly-half position. The fly-half role is still up for grabs, with the two players poised to play against each other for the first occasion in the upcoming URC game at Croke Park.

Ciaran Frawley is the additional fly-half chosen as the coach deciding not to calling up Leinster's Byrne.

At scrum-half, Farrell has selected Lions tourist Gibson-Park and Casey, who led Ireland to the summer Test victories over the Lelos and Portugal. Additionally, there is a return for the western province's Caolin Blade, who is preferred to club-mate Ben Murphy.

Henshaw, Bundee Aki, Ringrose and McCloskey form an veteran cohort of centre options. Osborne is another option in the centres, but the youngster is additionally a frontrunner to deputise for Keenan at full-back.

Outside backs Lowe, Hansen, O'Brien and Stockdale are named. The winger impressed on his national team debut over the summer with two tries apiece in the victories over Georgia and Portugal.

Paddy McCarthy is the sole new addition in the Ireland pack. The front rower has started two of Leinster's three United Rugby Championship matches so far and played in the second string's defeat by England in Bristol earlier this year.

McCarthy was included in interim boss O'Connell's summer selection, yet did not receive a cap.

Southern province second row Ahern, who received his first two caps in those matches, is retained, while experienced Ulster second row Henderson is back after missing the summer tour.

Conan, who started each of the Lions Tests during the tour, is set to deputise for Doris should the captain does not regain full fitness in time to play the All Blacks.

The national team will assemble in Dublin on the start of the week before traveling to the US on the following day.

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

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

Kick-off times

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