Maro Itoje’s chances of being named British & Irish Lions captain have increased after Caelan Doris, one of his main competitors for the role, was confirmed as an injury doubt for the upcoming tour of Australia. Doris, the Ireland captain, is scheduled to undergo shoulder surgery this week, and his injury is expected to rule him out of the series, casting doubt over his participation in the tour.
Doris sustained the injury during Leinster’s Champions Cup semi-final loss to Northampton on Saturday. He was replaced in the second half, and Leinster has stated that he is unlikely to play again this season. The precise duration of his recovery will only be clear after the surgery, but the outlook remains uncertain. Leinster’s coach, Jacques Nienaber, expressed concern over the injury, remarking that Doris had not previously been one to leave the pitch due to injury, which made his early departure particularly worrying. Nienaber suggested that the shoulder injury could be more severe than initially feared and noted that it could take anywhere from two to six months to heal, depending on the extent of the damage.
This development has put Itoje, the England lock, in a favorable position to be named Lions captain, a role he has been widely considered for following his strong leadership performances with England in the Six Nations. Although Andy Farrell, the Lions head coach, had previously stated that the captaincy race was not limited to just Itoje and Doris, the uncertainty surrounding Doris’s fitness now makes Itoje the likely frontrunner.
Farrell is set to announce the Lions captain and squad later this week, and the injury to Doris comes at a critical time. Doris had been a key player in Farrell’s plans for the tour and was expected to start at No 8. With Doris out of the picture, Farrell may need to consider other leadership options, although Itoje’s credentials are already strong. There are also other candidates for the captaincy, including players like Sione Tuipulotu, Jamie George, and Owen Farrell, but Itoje’s consistent form and leadership throughout the season make him a strong choice.
If Doris is confirmed as being unavailable for the tour, it could open up opportunities for other players to take his place in the squad. Taulupe Faletau, who has been a standout performer for Wales, could make a fourth Lions tour, while players like Henry Pollock, Scotland’s Matt Fagerson, and Jack Dempsey are also potential candidates to fill the No 8 spot. Other options include Ben Earl and Tom Willis from England, while Jack Conan is likely to step up as a direct replacement for Doris in the Irish set-up.
The Lions’ first match is scheduled for June 20, a warm-up fixture against Argentina in Dublin, with the tour proper beginning on June 28 against Western Force in Perth. The first Test against Australia will be on July 19, and it’s still possible that Doris could join the squad at a later stage, should he recover sufficiently after the tour starts. This situation echoes a similar scenario from four years ago, when Alun Wyn Jones suffered a dislocated shoulder in a warm-up match and was initially ruled out of the tour, only to join the squad later after a successful recovery.
In 2017, Sam Warburton was named captain for the Lions’ tour to New Zealand despite a knee injury. He eventually returned to fitness in time for the first match but struggled with further injuries during the tour. His experience showed that a player can still have a major impact even when coming back from injury, a scenario that could play out similarly for Doris, depending on the outcome of his surgery.
