Caelan Doris Secures Spot in Ireland Selection But Joe McCarthy Omitted

Returning head coach the Ireland coach has named skipper Doris in his Irish squad for the autumn matches, but Joe McCarthy is absent.

The captain, who has not played since having a shoulder operation in the start of May, recently returned to provincial training, though his fitness is uncertain if he will be fit to face New Zealand in Chicago on 1 November.

Second row Joe McCarthy, however, was not considered after not recovering from the foot issue he sustained during the first Lions Test against Australia in the summer.

Northern province forward Izuchukwu and southern province winger Calvin Nash also miss out due to fitness concerns, and number 15 Hugo Keenan was previously excluded after having hip surgery following the Lions tour.

Leinster forward McCarthy - the brother of Joe - is the sole uncapped player in the 34-player squad, however Irish rugby authorities states new Munster duo Edogbo and Gleeson and once-capped western province wing Shayne Bolton will head to the US as "cover".

Following playing the All Blacks at the Chicago stadium in a repeat of their 2016 encounter, Ireland host Japan, the Wallabies and world champions the Springboks in Dublin.

"It's an exciting group to the squad and there's an opportunity for the veteran players and for those who made their debuts on the summer tour to Georgia and the Lobos," commented Farrell, back to national team duties after taking a sabbatical to lead the Lions tour to the southern hemisphere.

In a mostly familiar-looking squad, the Dublin club's Sam Prendergast and Munster's Jack Crowley will again compete for the starting number 10 spot. The fly-half role is remains up for grabs, with Prendergast and Crowley poised to play against each other for the first occasion in Saturday's United Rugby Championship game at the Dublin venue.

Ciaran Frawley is the third number 10 chosen with the coach opting against selecting the province's Harry Byrne.

At scrum-half, the Ireland boss has picked Lions tourist Gibson-Park and Craig Casey, who led the national side to the summer Test victories over Georgia and Portugal. There is also a return for Connacht's Caolin Blade, chosen to club-mate Murphy.

Robbie Henshaw, Bundee Aki, Ringrose and Stuart McCloskey represent an veteran group of centre options. Jamie Osborne is a further choice in the midfield, though the youngster is also a frontrunner to cover for the full-back at full-back.

Wingers James Lowe, Mack Hansen, O'Brien and Stockdale are included. The winger shone on his national team debut over the summer with a brace each in the victories over the Lelos and the Lobos.

McCarthy is the only new addition in the Ireland pack. The front rower has started two of his province's three league games this season and played in the second string's loss by England in the English city previously.

The 22-year-old was selected in interim boss O'Connell's summer squad, yet did not earn a cap.

Munster second row Ahern, who earned his first two caps in those matches, is retained, while experienced Ulster lock Henderson returns after sitting out the summer tour.

Jack Conan, who played in each of the Lions matches during the tour, is set to cover for Doris if the captain fails to recover fitness soon enough to play New Zealand.

The Ireland squad will assemble in the capital on the start of the week before flying to Chicago on the following day.

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

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

Kick-off times

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