Cian Healy has praised Bundee Aki’s resilience in the face of a tournament-ending suspension after the centre gave his all in Ireland’s first training session for Saturday’s World Cup quarter-final against New Zealand.

While it is 16 years since Simon Easterby went toe to toe with Samoa, Ireland’s forwards coach knows the threats they will bring this Saturday are familiar weapons in the armoury of the Pacific Islanders.

Backs against the wall and needing a bonus-point win over Samoa to stay in this World Cup, Ireland have been urged to back their skills and go after the Pacific Islanders here on Saturday.

Garry Ringrose could be pressed into a third successive World Cup start this Thursday after Ireland’s midfield stocks were reduced by a concussion for Chris Farrell.

Joey Carbery’s decision to kick the ball dead and end the game when a draw with Japan was still possible has been defended by Joe Schmidt and assistant coach Simon Easterby.

Ireland will not be losing sleep over Steve Hansen’s suggestion they are struggling with the pressure of being “top dog” since beating his All Blacks side last November, their coach Simon Easterby said.

Ireland will be without Joey Carbery and Robbie Henshaw for Sunday’s Guinness Six Nations home game with France but team management has insisted the dropped Sean Cronin still has a Test future despite his omission.

It would be fair to say that as anti-climatic and disappointing as last Saturday in the Aviva was, it hardly constituted the sort of crisis and crossroads Irish rugby was looking at the last time we played and lost an opening Six Nations game to England, writes Kieran Shannon.

Ireland are hopeful that Rob Kearney will overcome the shoulder injury he suffered at the weekend in time for November’s Guinness Series of Test matches.

Whatever about the short-term objectives of winning a Test series in Australia, Saturday’s decider offers Ireland an excellent dry run for a potential World Cup quarter-final in Japan next year.

No Irish mis-steps as the Six Nations moves towards its final stages and certainly not a thought wandering to potential glory days ahead.

If Ireland’s players required a warning against complacency ahead of this Saturday’s NatWest 6 Nations opener in Paris, then forwards coach Simon Easterby is happy to provide a reminder of the dire consequences that greeted such thoughts on this weekend a year ago.

Ireland won't fear any repeat of the cheap shots shipped in the Stade de France two years ago when they return to the French capital for the first time since for this year’s Six Nations opener.

A grand total of 34 minutes off the bench wouldn’t be everyone’s idea of a good November, but Dave Kilcoyne returns to Munster this week more than satisfied with his month’s work with Ireland.

Ireland’s back row for Saturday’s Guinness Series opener against South Africa appears to be cut and dried after forwards coach Simon Easterby revealed Tommy O’Donnell, Dan Leavy, and Jack Conan had all missed some training this week.

The Irish squad have set up base in New Jersey with eight players hoping to make their international debuts and a few others on red alert for a call from New Zealand and elevation to the Lions squad.

Ireland have settled in to their team base in New Jersey ahead of Saturday’s clash with the USA when Joe Schmidt’s men will aim to extend their eight-match winning sequence against the Eagles.

Ireland insist Andy Farrell is too “professional” to let preparing a team to nullify his son Owen cloud his coaching for today’s RBS 6 Nations clash with England.

Niall Scannell’s readiness for Test rugby got the Ireland management’s seal of approval last night as the uncapped Munster hooker prepared to stand in for sick captain Rory Best against Italy this afternoon.

Ireland aim to right the wrongs of their losing performance against the All Blacks when Australia roll into the Aviva Stadium on Saturday.

Sean O’Brien and Peter O’Mahony may not have agreed with it, but Ireland assistant coach Simon Easterby believes the decision to leave the pair behind when the squad flew out to Chicago early last week was wholly justified.

Ireland’s new generation of Test players have been put on notice that this month’s Test series against the Springboks could determine their pathway to the 2019 World Cup.

Ireland have been challenged to make a statement during their three-Test series in South Africa and lay down a marker for the 2019 World Cup in Japan.

There was a point in the Irish rugby timeline when even the idea of beating France in Paris was outside the logic of all but the criminally optimistic.

Eoin Reddan insists the provinces cannot afford to dwell on the growing financial gap between the Celtic clubs and their French and English counterparts as both Leinster and Munster come to terms with their discouraging European situations.

There is no doubt that Ireland would much prefer to be facing an Italy side this weekend that did not feature the talents of their captain and inspiration Sergio Parisse.

Ireland’s fears over Rob Kearney’s fitness have eased but the full-back remains a doubt for Sunday’s World Cup Pool clash with Italy.

Peter O’Mahony insists Canadian talisman Jamie Cudmore will not intimidate Ireland in Saturday’s World Cup pool opener but the Irish pack knows the Clermont lock well enough to have huge respect for an old adversary in Cardiff this weekend. 

The phoney war may well be starting in Cardiff on Saturday as Ireland plays the first of its four World Cup warm-up Tests but however much experimentation will be seen when Joe Schmidt today unveils his team to face Wales, the camp are insisting there will be no cheap caps.

The strength of the England side awaiting Ireland this Saturday at Twickenham was enough to quickly get any minds wandering post-World Cup squad selection back on track and focused on the size of the challenge ahead.

Class may be permanent but if you’re looking for a place in Ireland’s World Cup squad this September, you better be backing it up with some good form.

It has been framed as a mission impossible, but Matt O’Connor’s coaching colleagues in Munster and Ulster believe Leinster can return from France next Sunday with Toulon’s scalp swinging from their pelts.

Scotland v Ireland

Wales have the attributes to turn an Irish strength into a potential weakness. Here are the three key areas of combat. 

Simon Easterby insists Ireland will not be drawn into a war of words or indulge in any mind games with their Welsh counterparts before the countries meet in round four of the Six Nations in Cardiff tomorrow week.