Ireland: Doris set to miss November after knee infection

Ireland look set to go into the second half of the Nations Championship without Caelan Doris. Neither the IRFU nor Leinster has yet commented on the setback.

Doris injured his foot in Leinster’s URC final win over the Bulls on 19 June. He had surgery, with a knee procedure carried out at the same time. According to The Irish Times, reported by RugbyPass, an infection in the knee has since slowed his rehabilitation and pushed his return beyond November.

The 28-year-old back-rower is now said to be targeting an early-January return. That would put him in contention for Leinster’s final two Champions Cup pool matches, against Pau and Leicester, ahead of the Six Nations.

Six Tests missed in 2026

Doris had already missed the July tour to Australia, Japan and New Zealand. Ireland had hoped to have him back for their three November Tests: Argentina on the 6th, Fiji on the 14th and South Africa on the 21st, before finals weekend at Twickenham.

Asked this week, Leinster head coach Leo Cullen gave no update on his condition. Doris is on the province’s list of unavailable players, alongside Jack Boyle, RG Snyman, Paddy McCarthy, Jamison Gibson-Park, Jordan Larmour, Diarmuid Mangan and James Culhane.

Leinster, beaten 27-26 by the Lions in Johannesburg in their URC opener, face the Sharks in Durban on Saturday 3 October.