Sean O'Brien: Caelan Doris 'more comfortable and confident at 8'

There are few former players more qualified to opine on back row matters than Sean O'Brien and he’s adamant about where Caelan Doris should play.

The current Ireland loose forward started the first two Guinness Six Nations at number 8 and was widely lauded for his outstanding performances against Wales and France.

The 24-year-old Leinster man was switched to 6 for the victory over Italy, with Jack Conan preferred at the back of the scrum.

O’Brien, who earned 61 international caps, including five for the Lions, played most of his career at openside, but was sporadically picked at number 8.

He retired in 2022 after a spell with London Irish and is now back at Leinster, where he won two Heineken Cups, as contact skills coach.

"I think 8 is his position, yeah," said O’Brien confidently.

"I don’t think he is as effective as a 6. He is more comfortable and confident at 8.

"He knows the role and it gives him a bit more freedom. At 6 or 7 you’re either hanging out a bit at 6 or you’re not involved in the first few phases.

"Different roles but 8 is where Caelan plays his best rugby. He has been phenomenal, how he has evolved the whole way."

World Player of the Year Josh van der Flier (above) is a certain starter at openside and his resurgence and ability to keep adding to his game has impressed O’Brien, who helped Ireland to the 2015 championship under Joe Schmidt.

"The big thing with Josh is his running lines," explains the Carlow man.

"When he runs a line he runs it at a hundred miles an hour. The word we use for it is change-up at the line.

"That explosiveness and the speed and power he has a metre or two away from the line, if you can get power on when you are there or thereabouts then nine times out of ten you will make a half-break or