Former Lions coach Warren Gatland has revealed his reasoning for selecting Leinster backrow and captain Caelan Dorris as his frontrunner for the 2025 Lions captaincy, citing his 'dark arts' as a significant contributor.
Having managed the tour on three occasions - in 2013's win over Australia, 2017's draw with New Zealand and 2021's loss to South Africa, there are few people with as much insight into what makes a Lions captain as Warren Gatland, with his ringing endorsement of Caelan Dorris giving Andy Farrell food for thought.
Farrell will manage next year's British and Lions Tour, which will see the best of Ireland, England, Scotland and Wales head Down Under to take on Farrell's former boss, Australia head coach Joe Schmidt. With 2025 marking Farrell's first go at the role, there's plenty of excitement about who could go.
6 July 2024; Caelan Doris and Ciarán Frawley of Ireland leaves the pitch after the first test between South Africa and Ireland at Loftus Versfeld Stadium in Pretoria, South Africa. Photo by Brendan Moran/Sportsfile
Gatland names Caelan Dorris as frontrunner for Lions captaincy
While Gatland's decisions as Lions manager very rarely earned him favour with Irish fans, his latest comments on Caelan Dorris' prospects on the 2025 tour may just re-earn the former Galwegians coach some goodwill in the country.
Writing in the Telegraph, Warren Gatland revealed the two players he'd pick from each country for the upcoming Lions Tour, identifying Caelan Doris as his frontrunner for captain for a number of very strong reasons.
He captained Ireland in the second Test victory over South Africa on their summer tour and has also been made captain of Leinster this season. That makes him a front-runner for the Lions captaincy. I remember Andy speaking very highly of him before the 2021 tour of South Africa, but unfortunately, he was injured.
He is a master of the dark arts. He does get away with a little bit − a hand here or a foot there − and I think to myself ‘good on you’.
Doris took over as Leinster captain at the beginning of this season, taking over from Gary Ringrose and James Ryan who had shared the role in the aftermath of Johnny Sexton's retirement.
While he's yet to assume the role fulltime at national level, he has already walked his country out twice. The first of which came in Ireland's defeat of Italy in the 2024 Six Nations and the second when Ireland beat South Africa in emphatic style in June.
As well as selecting Doris as his front-runner to captain the side, Gatland revealed that Leinster's Joe McCarthy could be one of the first names on the teamsheet, owing to the fact that a whole forward pack can be built around the Lock.
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