LEINSTER AND IRELAND back-row Caelan Doris is looking forward to “some more special days” after putting pen to paper on a three-year contract extension with the IRFU.

A debutant for his province against Connacht in an interprovincial clash at the Sportsground in April 2018, Doris picked up the first of his 36 senior international caps to date in a Six Nations Championship game with Scotland a little under two years later.

While it was widely anticipated that he would continue with his current employers beyond the end of the 2023/24 season, the Mayo native officially committed yesterday to both province and country until 2027 at the very least.

Doris is now excited about what the future holds for him in the game having had his share of elation and heartbreak with both sides in recent years, 

“Delighted. Two very special environments in both Leinster and Ireland. Had some great days over the last few years and some not so great days, so there’s excitement to right a few wrongs, but also to have some more special days,” Doris said.

“I’m enjoying my time massively with both environments. It’s a good place to be and I’m delighted to be here for another few years. It’s a short career and you can never take anything for granted.

“It’s nice to get it over the line before Christmas and I can relax a little bit now knowing that I am here for a few years. I’m excited to continue to improve and evolve as a player. I feel there’s a lot more to come from me individually, as well as both environments collectively.”

Doris was speaking earlier today at an event that saw him being unveiled as the new brand ambassador for JFW renewables – one of Ireland’s leading solar energy companies.

Since returning from his first Rugby World Cup as an Irish player, the 25-year-old back-row has featured on four occasions for the eastern province – including last Saturday’s bonus point Champions Cup victory over Sale Sharks at the RDS.

He also played in the narrow win against Munster on 25 November in the United Rugby Championship at the Aviva Stadium and will be hoping to do so again when the sides renew acquaintances at Thomond Park on St Stephen’s Day.

That recent meeting in Irish Rugby HQ was the first competitive game between Leinster and their arch rivals since last season’s URC semi-final in the same venue. Although he believes the battles between the two teams have always been fierce since he first started playing in the fixture, he acknowledged Munster’s dramatic success in that latter contest has added an extra dimension to their rivalry.

“I think since I’ve started playing for Leinster over the last three, four, five years, the rivalry has always been there. Whenever we see a Munster fixture dated, there’s extra excitement that week and you never take success for granted, week to week or year to year,” he said. 

“We’ve seen them probably develop and evolve over the last two or three years, you’ve seen signs of it. That was encapsulated in their win last year, which has probably given them more confidence and belief in what they’re doing. It has definitely upped the rivalry from that point of view. They’re a team that we respect. It will be a good one.”

Following on the heels of Doris’ contract extension, Leinster confirmed today that South African international RG Snyman will be joining the province from Munster in advance of the 2024/25 season. This had been heavily reported in recent days and while he was speaking to the media before it was revealed that he was going to move from their forthcoming opponents in the near future, Doris did say that the towering lock (who is currently sidelined with a chest/shoulder injury) is someone that he holds in high regard.

“He’s obviously an incredibly impressive physical specimen. I don’t know what weight he is, but he’s a very big frame and a hard man to put down for sure. He’s obviously had a pretty tough time with injuries in Munster and hasn’t played too much, but whenever he has, he has lit it up and been pretty impressive,” Doris said.

“He had been impressive with the Springboks in 2019 and again this year, off the bench quite a few times and adding impact there. He’s a massive asset in the scrum and the line-out around the park. He’s got very good hands and he’s a good footballer as well.”