Ireland captain Caelan Doris remains doubtful to face the All Blacks in Chicago as he makes a return from a shoulder injury.
Doris has returned to training with club side Leinster after a shoulder injury ruled out his hopes of captaining the Lions during their Australian tour in May.
The Irish Times is reporting that the All Blacks clash in just over two weeks might be too early a test for the No 8, who will be named in the Ireland squad tonight.
Fullback Hugo Keenan has also been sidelined with a hip injury while Ireland will also be without either Cian Healy, Peter O’Mahony and Conor Murray for the first time since 2009. The three centurions all announced their test retirements since the last meeting against the All Blacks, a 23-13 defeat last November, which ended the home side’s 19-match winning streak in Dublin.
Either Dan Sheehan, Iain Henderson, James Ryan or Tadhg Beirne will captain Ireland against the All Blacks if Doris is not fit, the Irish Times reports.
It’s a strange situation for the 32-year-old to have been named in the team one day, then withdrawn the next. An All Blacks representative told the Herald it was due to the results of Tuipulotu’s medical assessment coming back after the squad had been named.
Tuipulotu had been playing with a shoulder niggle sustained while playing for the Blues. It was said to have settled early in the All Blacks’ season, but would flare up on occasion.
However, the injury got to the point of needing a medical assessment to determine the best way to address the pain. It was determined that surgery would be needed, which would sideline the lock for six months.
It then became a case of timing. Missing the upcoming Grand Slam tour means he will be able to return during the Super Rugby Pacific season and build into next year’s All Blacks campaign. Had he gone ahead with the tour and had surgery afterwards, he risked missing the entire Super season.
