Leinster have confirmed that Caelan Doris, Jordan Larmour and Tommy O'Brien all signed new contracts of unspecified durations, although the likelihood is that Doris and Larmour agreed new two-year extensions.
But for the concussion issues which scuppered Doris's 2021 Six Nations campaign and effectively ruled him out of Warren Gatland's considerations for the British & Irish Lions tour, the 23-year-old would probably have a fairly irresistible case for a central contract by now.
He has started all of Ireland’s eight Tests since last summer, and had completed 80 minutes in all of them until replaced in the 54th minute against Italy last Sunday. Certainly by the time his next contract negotiations come around, all things being equal, one imagines Doris will be firmly in the mix for a central contract.
Although Larmour has won twice as many caps (30) as Doris (15), the 24-year-old’s Test career has rather stalled of late and his last appearance for Ireland was against Japan in July. Yet he remains a highly-prized asset within Leinster, where he has scored 24 tries in 70 appearances, including five in eight games this season.
The 23-year-old O’Brien, a former Ireland under-20 captain who came through Blackrock College, is athletic, a good footballer and tough tackler, and has additional value in that he can play in midfield or on the wing.
