Leinster boss worried Doris' shoulder injury is 'serious'

Leinster head coach Jacques Nienaber fears Caelan Doris' shoulder injury could be "serious" after it was confirmed he needs surgery.

Doris was a strong contender to captain the British and Irish Lions, but now may not be fit enough to make the squad, which Andy Farrell will announce on Thursday.

Should he miss out, England's Maro Itoje emerges as the front-runner to captain the side.

He sustained the injury in Leinster's defeat to Northampton Saints in the European Champions Cup semi-final on Saturday and will have surgery either on Tuesday or Wednesday.

Doris also missed the last Lions tour in 2021 due to a concussion, and while Nienaber is hopeful the injury is not as long-term as he initially feared, he acknowledged it will depend on the Ireland captain's recovery.

"He saw a specialist, and I think there's some further investigation that needs to be done," Nienaber told Irish media of Doris.

"Fingers crossed that things aren't as bad as we think it is, but in the last couple of months that I've worked with Caelan, he's not a guy that necessarily comes off the pitch with injury.

Injury update ahead of Saturday's URC clash with ZebreJames Ryan and Rob Russell return to full fitness.Caelan Doris will will undergo a procedure this week on a shoulder injury picked up in Saturday's game against Northampton Saints.Read more: https://t.co/PRo542mYmU pic.twitter.com/6IhNHwuZbh
— Leinster Rugby (@leinsterrugby) May 5, 2025

"So when I subjectively saw him coming off the pitch on Saturday, I thought in my mind: 'That must be quite serious'.

"We'll probably know more at the back end of the week, but my gut, and it's only gut, says that I think it might be serious, but fingers crossed it might not be. Fingers crossed they go in and there is not too much structural damage.

"My official knowledge is a little bit woozy, but if there isn't structural damage, maybe four to six weeks. If there is, it could go up to anything as big as six months."

If Doris is out for four weeks, he would be fit for the Lions' opener against Argentina on June 20, but anything longer could see him miss the entirety of the tour.

Doris has scored eight tries for club and country during the 2024-25 season, including one in the defeat to Northampton.