Sheehan leads Ireland, Doris benched
Dan Sheehan will captain Ireland against the All Blacks at Soldier Field on Saturday.
The Leinster hooker leads a settled side that features one new face, with 22-year-old prop Paddy McCarthy in line for his Test debut off the bench.
Ireland are back in Chicago for the first time since their famous 2016 victory over the All Blacks at the same venue – a game that rewrote history.
Coach Andy Farrell has named a familiar line-up spearheaded by Jack Crowley at flyhalf and Jamison Gibson-Park at scrumhalf. Jamie Osborne, Tommy O’Brien and James Lowe form a lively back three, while Stuart McCloskey partners Garry Ringrose in midfield.
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Up front, Andrew Porter, Sheehan and Tadhg Furlong make up a formidable front row, backed by James Ryan and Tadhg Beirne in the second row. The back row sees Ryan Baird, Josh van der Flier and Jack Conan combine in a typically athletic trio.
Farrell has also named a powerful bench, with Ronan Kelleher, Finlay Bealham, Iain Henderson and the returning Caelan Doris among the reinforcements.
“It’s a real privilege to be back here in Chicago ahead of a huge game against New Zealand,” said Farrell.
“The clashes with the All Blacks have always been fantastic occasions, and there’s great excitement in the squad – not least for Paddy McCarthy, who’s set to make his debut. His selection is testament to his impressive form, and we’ll all be doing our utmost to make it a special weekend for him and his family.”
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IRELAND – 15 Jamie Osborne, 14 Tommy O’Brien, 13 Garry Ringrose, 12 Stuart McCloskey, 11 James Lowe, 10 Jack Crowley, 9 Jamison Gibson-Park, 8 Jack Conan, 7 Josh van der Flier, 6 Ryan Baird, 5 Tadhg Beirne, 4 James Ryan, 3 Tadhg Furlong, 2 Dan Sheehan (c), 1 Andrew Porter.
Bench: 16 Ronan Kelleher, 17 Paddy McCarthy, 18 Finlay Bealham, 19 Iain Henderson, 20 Caelan Doris, 21 Craig Casey, 22 Sam Prendergast, 23 Bundee Aki.
Our team to face New Zealand in Chicago! ✊
— Irish Rugby (@IrishRugby) October 30, 2025
Photo: Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile via Getty Images