O'Mahony helping Doris 'massively' with captaincy

Caelan Doris says Peter O'Mahony has helped him "massively" arsenic he prepares to switch nan seasoned Munster backmost statement arsenic Ireland skipper for Saturday's Test against South Africa successful Durban.

Doris stepped up to lead Ireland aft O'Mahony was replaced successful past week's defeat successful Pretoria.

But pinch O'Mahony dropping to nan chair for this week's game, caput coach Andy Farrell has again entrusted nan Leinster number 8 to lead Ireland out.

Doris, a frontrunner to win O'Mahony arsenic skipper erstwhile nan 34-year-old calls clip connected his Test career, captained Ireland for nan first clip against Italy successful this year's Six Nations.

"First time, successful nan Italy week, location was much pressure, nerves and much self-doubt. This week, I'm emotion much nan honour and nan privilege," said Doris, who has besides captained his state connected respective occasions.

"It's been helped massively by Pete, who's evidently nan circuit captain. We've had bully chats on nan measurement but besides nan activity group has stepped successful massively and taken nan weight disconnected maine astatine times."

Following a 27-20 nonaccomplishment to nan Springboks successful a chaotic first Test, Farrell has opted to shingle things up successful his battalion pinch Tadhg Beirne shifting to O'Mahony's blindside flanker domiciled and James Ryan coming into nan 2nd row.

While conceding that O'Mahony was "not happy obviously" to being benched, Farrell praised his circuit skipper for putting nan needs of nan squad "at nan forefront of his mind constantly", comments which were echoed by Doris.

"I've leaned connected them [the activity group] astatine times but peculiarly Pete," added Doris.

"Obviously it's reliable for him going from a starting position past week to a chair position this week but he's led unbelievably done nan week and has been a monolithic helping manus for me.

"When he comes on, I'm judge he'll do nan same."

Farrell was disappointed pinch Ireland's capacity past week, peculiarly successful nan first half.

But Doris says nan squad had a bully gathering connected Wednesday astir wherever they request to amended arsenic he called connected his team-mates to show "edge" and "aggression" connected Saturday.

"I consciousness nan lads person a spot of an separator disconnected nan backmost of that arsenic well," he added.

"We've besides spoken astir our calm and doing things our measurement which we can't spell distant from either.

"It's trying to onslaught nan equilibrium betwixt being calm and doing things really we do them but besides showing a spot of separator and aggression arsenic well."