Back-to-back champions Ireland need to develop and change if they want to maintain their recent dominance of the Guinness Six Nations, according to captain Caelan Doris.
Since the tournament’s expansion in 2000, Ireland is attempting to become the first nation to win the title three times in a row.
After head coach Andy Farrell temporarily resigned to concentrate on heading the British and Irish Lions tour of Australia this summer, interim manager Simon Easterby will be in charge of this year’s championship challenge.
Ahead of a curtain-raiser at home against England on February 1, Leinster back-rower Doris downplayed the importance of his team being positioned as the bookmakers’ favourites to win the championship and expressed apprehension about the threat posed by opposing nations.
At Tuesday’s Six Nations opening event in Rome, the 26-year-old told reporters, I hadn’t actually looked at the bookies.