Ireland head coach Joe Schmidt has departed their Rugby World Cup training camp to go back to New Zealand due to a family bereavement.

An injury doubt over Iain Henderson could open the door for Munster lock Tadhg Beirne to make a surprise Guinness Six Nations debut on Saturday when Ireland play Wales in Cardiff.

Finally, the pieces are falling into place for Ireland, just as their Guinness Six Nations campaign draws to a close.

As difficult as defeat is to swallow for an Ireland side so used to being on the right side of the competitive ledger, the bruising loss to England must be digested very quickly.

Ireland will attempt a return to winning ways in Edinburgh this Saturday with the challenge of handling the pressure that comes in the wake of their Guinness Six Nations mauling by England.

It’s eight years since Greg Feek plugged himself into the mainframe of Irish rugby but the Kiwi scrum coach wasn’t exactly in the mood to measure his input as he pulled up a pew ahead of Saturday’s game against Argentina.

Rob Kearney has been rated as 50-50 to feature for Ireland in this Saturday's test against Argentina at the Aviva Stadium.

Greg Feek has taken a rather different route than the rest of Ireland’s touring party to reach Australia, yet two months in to a new career in Japan, the scrum coach could not be happier with his lot.

Ireland scrum coach Greg Feek believes there is plenty of leadership within the current squad that can make up for the absence of veteran captain Rory Best.

Joe Schmidt deservedly received the plaudits for guiding Ireland to a Grand Slam on Saturday. But the New Zealander was quick to credit the efforts of his backroom team in the unforgettable spring campaign. Rory Keane reports.

The Irish management last night insisted that their Munster players are not being sidetracked by talk of Rassie Erasmus leaving the province.

Four days out from a series-deciding Test with the Springboks, Devin Toner has admitted the Ireland camp is still not over their painful defeat to South Africa at Ellis Park last Saturday.

Ireland will heap the pressure on Wales’ rookie loosehead Rob Evans, to see if his scrummaging discipline “turns the other way” on Sunday, according to Greg Feek.

Another day closer and growing confidence that Johnny Sexton will be fit to face Argentina in Sunday’s World Cup quarter-final.

There cannot have been too many instances of a side beating South Africa and having mixed feelings about the experience, but Ireland’s scrummaging think tank remain in two minds about the 29-15 victory.

Ireland prop Mike Ross is eyeing up a new two-year contract to take him into his late 30s and with the shortage of Test-ready tightheads in these parts there may not be a better time to ask for it.

Greg Feek made no bones about it yesterday.

Ireland scrum coach Greg Feek gave journalists increased knowledge of scrummaging rules.

Mike Cron isn’t a household name in Irish rugby, but in New Zealand he’s known as "the scrum doctor".

Cian Healy will be fit and raring to go toe-to-toe when Leinster meet a Northampton pack scrum coach Greg Feek ranks with the very best in Europe.

Brian O'Driscoll could make a sooner-than-expected return to the Leinster fold this weekend.

Leinster coach Greg Feek has sympathy for referees battling to interpret new scrum laws which have proven a controversial addition to the new rugby season.

It’s been a long, dark winter.

Leinster scrum coach Greg Feek knows his team will have to try and curb the influence of Munster second row Paul O’Connell when the two provinces go head to head in Saturday’s RaboDirect PRO12 clash at Thomond Park (6.30pm).

Fergus McFadden believes Ian Madigan’s form will make it very difficult for Warren Gatland to omit the Leinster out-half from his Lions touring squad when the selection is confirmed after the Heineken and Amlin semi-finals later this month.

They will be at each other’s throats again on Saturday in Limerick but there was a liberal amount of fraternal love extended towards Munster from Leinster after the weekend’s European battles.

Leinster and Ireland’s scrum coach, Greg Feek, is confident Declan Kidney’s new South African-born hooker has the size as well as the ability to cope with the mammoth front rows so prevalent in international rugby.

Ireland coach Declan Kidney has named four uncapped players for the 2012 Guinness Series games against South Africa, Fiji and Argentina.

Joe Schmidt believes Leinster will reap the rewards from scrum coach Greg Feek’s decision not to continue his involvement with the Irish team this season.

The Irish rugby squad has taken part in a bus tour of the central Christchurch red zone.

The earthquake-ravaged city of Christchurch has to be seen to be believed.

Ireland scrum coach Greg Feek has backed rookie Ulster tighthead Declan Fitzpatrick to step up for Ireland against the All Blacks on Saturday should first-choice Mike Ross fail to recover from a hamstring injury.

Leinster full-back Rob Kearney does not believe Ireland will lack motivation as they take on New Zealand despite coming to the end of a 51-week season.

Jonathan Sexton trotted out for training at the RDS yesterday sporting a nasty looking gash down the left side of his neck.

Leinster are refusing to take Saturday’s Heineken Cup quarter-final against Cardiff Blues for granted despite the Welsh region’s myriad of problems on the pitch and off it.

Leinster’s latest signing of an Irish-qualified tighthead prop was always going to make news given the difficulties experienced by the national team and some of the provincial sides at scrum-time in recent weeks.

HE’S not playing as regularly as he did in a Connacht jersey, but Sean Cronin is still convinced making the move to Leinster has made him a better player.

Leinster and Ireland hooker Sean Cronin has praised the influence scrummaging coach Greg Feek has had on his game.

THEY scored seven tries on the way to a 25-point victory over Bath last weekend, but it’s the three tries they conceded in the final quarter that has most occupied the minds of both the Leinster management and players since.

THERE will be a reunion of sorts when Ireland and Italy’s front rows lock horns on Sunday and Irish scrum coach Greg Feek expects his band of brothers to present a much improved challenge to the one the Azzurri faced in Rome eight months ago.