Stephen Ferris expects James Ryan to get the nod to captain Ireland

Stephen Ferris believes James Ryan is the most likely of the main candidates to be named as Ireland captain.

Andy Farrell will announce his squad for the Six Nations on Wednesday and almost certainly, the head coach will also reveal who he has selected to succeed Johnny Sexton as his on-field general.

RTÉ rugby analyst Bernard Jackman recently tipped Caelan Doris as a "dark horse" for the Irish captaincy, although the Leinster back row subsequently distanced himself from that prospect.

Speaking on RTÉ's Game On, former Ireland and Ulster back row Ferris tipped Doris' Leinster colleague, James Ryan, who has deputised in the captaincy role previously, as the player he expects to be given the honour by Farrell.

"I think I'm going to go with James Ryan," he said.

"There are a few [candidates]. I know people have talked about Caelan Doris. He obviously went to Blackrock, captained Blackrock and he can be another candidate.

"I think you have to have your captain as the first name on the teamsheet."

Munster veteran Peter O'Mahony is another name who has been linked with the role in the immediate term but Ferris said he was unsure whether the 34-year-old would get the nod.

"I know there's speculation around his future, dropping the Munster captaincy and what's going on down there," he said.

"He's been out injured for a large part since coming back from the Rugby World Cup and is he a shoe-in [to start] with Ryan Baird, Jack Conan, Nick Timoney and a few others there? So I'm not so sure. I don't think he is [the next captain], that's why I would go for somebody like Garry Ringrose or big James Ryan."