Rugby: Former All Black Feek knows all about Irish challenge

Greg Feek. Photo / Supplied

As someone who played 10 tests for the All Blacks, Ireland scrum coach Greg Feek knows exactly what his charges can expect on Saturday.

Adding to the difficulties for his adopted side is the fact tighthead prop Mike Ross remains in doubt for the match at Eden Park due to a hamstring injury.

However, Feek, while acknowledging the All Blacks as World Cup champions and the forward pack as one of the best around, has urged his side to treat it as just another game.

"Everyone knows what they can do," 36-year-old Feek said of the All Blacks. "One of the first things is we just have to play our game and just treat it like you're playing any other country. It's not really anything different to what the boys have experienced in Europe but we respect the fact that obviously the All Blacks are the World Cup champions and we know it's going to be tough."

Feek's main job these days is with Irish club side Leinster, recently crowned European champions, and he plies his trade alongside fellow Kiwis Joe Schmidt, the head coach, and forwards coach Jono Gibbes.

The former Crusaders prop, who played 61 times for the franchise, said his loyalties now lay with Irish rugby but he was excited to be back in New Zealand.

"I've been with this team a while now and with Leinster so I've got to know the boys pretty well so I feel more part of it now than ever and the connection is probably with these guys now."

Feek said the challenge of the three-test series against the All Blacks didn't have to be a daunting one.

"To go up against [Tony] Woodcock who has 83 tests and Horey [Andrew Hore] and those guys is a great challenge. Woodcock is potentially one of the best looseheads in the world at the moment and coming up against Owen Franks, the boys know all about him."

Although some of the Irish players had come off a long club season plus a Six Nations tournament, in which the national team struggled, Leinster fullback Rob Kearney said it was important the mental approach was right from the start.

"It's a three-test tour against the world champs and if you don't switch on mentally it can be a long three weeks where results won't go your way," he said.

"You're representing your country playing against the All Blacks in their own backyard. As a professional player if you can't get yourself fired up for that thought alone then you're probably in the wrong game."

Playing at a venue in which they enjoyed a famous World Cup victory over Australia would help, he said.

"We have really strong memories of Eden Park. We all stepped up and played really well. That has to count for something, even if we were playing another team.

"It was a huge occasion for us to turn over Australia in a World Cup... we set a bar there in that game, a standard, and it's important for us to keep matching it."