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Caelan Doris joins forces with TYF

Ireland and Leinster rugby captain, Caelan Doris, has been announced as the newest ambassador for Tackle Your Feelings (TYF) – Rugby Players Ireland’s mental wellbeing programme, delivered in partnership with Zurich Ireland and powered by the Z Zurich Foundation.

With 2026 marking the programmes’ 10^th anniversary, Tackle Your Feelings has seen hundreds of Irish rugby players use their platforms to encourage younger generations to proactively engage with their mental wellbeing and to speak openly about mental health. Caelan Doris joins a new generation of TYF ambassadors, including Erin King, Eimear Considine, Jordan Duggan, Rónan Kelleher, Jack O’Donoghue, Brittany Hogan and Zac Ward, alongside a wider group of players who continue to actively support the programme.

Speaking about his appointment as TYF ambassador, Caelan Doris said:

“Positive mental health practices have always been a really important part of my journey, long before I played rugby professionally. From a young age, learning how to manage pressure, stay grounded and ask for support when I needed it, helped shape who I am today. Throughout my career I’ve faced injuries, setbacks and moments of doubt. Those experiences have tested me as much mentally as physically. Having the right tools to identify challenges early, rather than letting them build up, has made a huge difference to me. That’s why I’m proud to support Tackle Your Feelings and help normalise these conversations, especially for young people finding their own way.”

First launched in 2016, Tackle Your Feelings sharpened its focus at the outset of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020. Recognising the growing mental health challenges facing young people, TYF committed to supporting second-level students across the island of Ireland through the TYF Schools Programme. This initiative resulted in an eight-lesson, curriculum-aligned mental wellbeing programme featuring daily wellbeing challenges, practical tools to help students manage pressure and insights from some of Ireland’s most recognisable rugby players. Close to half of all secondary schools in Ireland have registered for the programme to date.

In recent months, The TYF Schools programme has undergone a comprehensive overhaul, informed by teacher and student feedback and PhD-led research conducted by the University of Limerick in collaboration with SCY-LAB (School, Child and Youth Mental Health and Well-being Lab). This research-driven evolution ensures the programme remains evidence-based, classroom-relevant and engaging, with enhanced accessibility and interactive tools designed to help students build awareness of their own mental wellbeing.

Simon Keogh, CEO of Rugby Players Ireland, said:

“Having a role model like Caelan Doris involved in Tackle Your Feelings is hugely powerful. Caelan can credibly speak to the benefits of positive mental wellbeing practices from a young age and how they support both performance and personal development. Over the past ten years, TYF has shown that when young people are given the right tools early, they are better equipped to face setbacks, adapt and grow stronger through life’s challenges before they escalate. Caelan’s leadership and openness will help reinforce that message for students, teachers and the wider community.”

Anthony Brennan, CEO of Zurich Ireland added:

“We are delighted to see someone of Caelan’s stature stepping up and endorsing Tackle Your Feelings.  It’s another exciting step for the campaign and it fitting that it comes in the tenth year of Zurich’s association with TYF. We are extremely proud of the impact the TYF programme has made over those ten years, and we are confident that with Caelan’s support we will continue to break new ground in supporting mental wellbeing across Ireland.”

Run in partnership with Zurich Ireland and powered by the Z Zurich Foundation, Tackle Your Feelings has also inspired similar initiatives internationally – including the English Rugby Players’ Association’s Lift the Weight campaign, New Zealand Rugby’s HeadFirst campaign and Tackle Your Feelings Australia, delivered in collaboration with Zurich Australia, the AFL Players’ Association and the AFL Coaches Association.

For more information on Tackle Your Feelings, visit www.tackleyourfeelings.com and follow @tyf on Instagram.