Mayo star misses out as Farrell names record Irish contingent for Lions Tour

Lacken native Caelan Doris has been ruled out of British and Irish Lions contention this summer, following recent shoulder surgery that sidelines him for the tour of Australia.

Head coach Andy Farrell named his 38-man squad earlier today, with Doris’s absence one of the most notable omissions.

The Leinster No. 8 sustained the injury during his side’s Investec Champions Cup semi-final loss to Northampton Saints last Saturday.

It’s a disappointing blow for the back-rower, who had been tipped as a likely starter for the Lions this summer.

In what is a historic announcement for Irish rugby, Farrell has selected a record 15 Irish players for the tour, the highest ever representation from Ireland in a Lions squad. Twelve of those players hail from Leinster.

Among the Leinster forwards included are hookers Dan Sheehan and Rónan Kelleher, props Andrew Porter and Tadhg Furlong, locks Joe McCarthy and James Ryan, and back-rowers Jack Conan and Josh van der Flier.

The backline sees scrum-half Jamison Gibson-Park, centre Garry Ringrose, winger James Lowe, and full-back Hugo Keenan all earn selection.

Connacht’s Bundee Aki and Mack Hansen also make the cut. Hansen, originally from Canberra, is expected to recover from an ankle knock in time for the tour.

However, there was disappointment for young Leinster out-half Sam Prendergast and experienced centre Robbie Henshaw, who were both left out of the initial squad.

The Lions will begin their tour Down Under in July, with preparations ramping up over the coming weeks.