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Captain Caelan Doris acknowledges back-to-back champions Ireland must improve and evolve in order to continue their recent domination of the Guinness Six Nations.
Ireland are bidding to become the first country to lift the title three years in a row since the tournament was expanded in 2000.
Interim boss Simon Easterby will oversee this year’s championship challenge after head coach Andy Farrell temporarily stepped aside to focus on leading this summer’s British and Irish Lions tour of Australia.
Leinster back-rower Doris dismissed the significance of his team being installed as title favourites by bookmakers and is wary of the threat posed by rival nations ahead of a February 1 curtain-raiser at home to England.
“I hadn’t looked at the bookies actually,” the 26-year-old told reporters during Tuesday’s Six Nations launch event in Rome.
“We’re aware of how competitive it is and it’s (about) improving and preparing as best as possible. I don’t think we take that (betting odds) into account too much.
“It’s awareness that if we don’t keep improving then someone else will take the reins.
“From the very first meeting yesterday, it’s about our evolution and about improving. In each game you can’t take anything for granted and that’s the great thing about this competition.
“We’ve got England at home first up and it’s hard to look beyond that for now.
“In terms of our preparations and mindset generally, it’s one of needing to evolve and needing to improve individually and collectively. It’s an exciting prospect.”
Doris replaced Peter O’Mahony as skipper before an inconsistent autumn series which began with defeat to New Zealand but ultimately ended with three wins from four following narrow successes over Argentina and Australia, either side of a comfortable victory over Fiji.
Defence coach Easterby took over from Farrell at the conclusion of that campaign.
The 49-year-old former Ireland and Lions forward, who joined his country’s staff in 2014, assembled his squad in Dublin on Monday, with Doris backing him to excel in the new role.
Asked about the differences between Easterby and Farrell, Doris said: “It’s hard to say because it’s only been a matter of hours so far but Si has been unbelievable for us over the last number of years.
“He’s got a tonne of respect amongst the players in how he leads our defence and how he is as a person and the one-on-one time he puts in with players too.
“A lot of what you look for in a head coach you’ve seen from him over the last number of years.
“Faz (Farrell) has obviously been a massive figure for us but we’ve had the likes of Johnny (Sexton, former captain) that we’ve lost in the past as well.
“Instead of any one person trying to fill the void, it’s shared responsibility. I’m sure the leadership group will take a bit of that on too. But there’s a tonne of faith inside as well.”
