The main headlines from Carton House: Rob Kearney is under the supervision of the Ireland medical team. Conor Murray is not in camp, Dan Leavy is due to link up with the national squad on Wednesday evening and there are no injury concerns arising from last weekend's victory over Italy in Chicago.
Kearney, who has not had game time since picking up a shoulder knock while playing for Leinster in Treviso last Sunday week, did not train fully on Tuesday morning, won't play at the weekend - he hasn't been officially ruled out - but should be available for the game against New Zealand on Saturday week.
Murray, who picked up an award in France this week, the French newspaper Midi Olympique's 'World Player of the Year,' will continue his rehabilitation in Munster and is highly unlikely at this point to play against either the All Blacks or USA.
Ireland scrum coach Greg Feek explained: "Yeah he (Murray) is not in camp and again that is another one that we are just monitoring. It's something that with him not being here this week, he is just trying to tick some boxes and get back in the frame. We already have three good halfbacks there so there is no point in carrying one more."
Feek confirmed that Kearney did not train fully and instead was put through his paces by the physiotherapists while everyone else is “tipping away.” Leavy, who played 80-minutes for Leinster against the Southern Kings in South Africa will rejoin the national squad on Wednesday evening.
Kieran Marmion (Connacht) and Stuart McCloskey (Ulster) who played for their respective provinces over the weekend are in camp but Sammy Arnold and John Ryan will remain in Munster.
Feek said that Ireland’s performance against Italy got better as the match progressed, highlighting the positive impact from the bench. “The first half they were still adjusting, adapting to the each other’s style, (while in) the second half we started clearing the ball a bit quicker; the forwards were getting around the corner and getting into shape a bit quicker and the same on defence.
"We worked really hard in that first half on both sides of the ball. Then you saw the impact that the bench had which was another positive. Tadhg Beirne and Quinn Roux certainly put their hands up and we have a lot of depth in the loose forwards as we do in the pack."
