Kane Douglas has failed to settle in Ireland © Getty Images

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Players/Officials: Kane Douglas

Teams: Australia | Leinster

Kane Douglas, potentially a key Wallabies forward for their Rugby World Cup campaign, is desperate to break his contract with Irish Guinness PRO12 team Leinster to return home for family reasons.

The Dublin-based forward has spoken to Leinster officials about an agreement for him to return to Australia to be with his family as soon as possible.

The 26-year-old former NSW Waratahs lock is seeking an early compassionate release from his deal with Leinster - which runs for another two seasons - after struggling to settle in the Irish capital.

Douglas' mother, Trish, passed away in 2013 and his girlfriend is pregnant with the couple's first child. He wants to play with Queensland Reds in Super Rugby next season to be closer to his father and brother Luke, who plays rugby league for the NRL's Gold Coast Titans, as well as his partner's family.

"There are a few things going on at home that I need to be there for," the 14-Test second-rower said in a statement from Dublin. "I didn't think it would be this tough to be away from it all and I hope I can get back home real soon.

"It's been a good time but also tough here, and I have spoken to the club about what's going on with my family and I have made it pretty clear that I want to get it sorted."

Douglas left Australia last year as Australia's form lock, and his then Waratahs coach, Michael Cheika, believed the Australian Rugby Union did not do enough to keep him.

Cheika, now the Wallabies coach, hopes Douglas will be in contention for a starting role at this year's World Cup, kicking off in England in September, but the hard-hitting 202cm, 123kg second-rower must be signed to an Australian Super Rugby franchise to be eligible for the Wallabies at the World Cup. Douglas will also surely need playing with the Wallabies in the to ensure his selection.

Former ARU high-performance manager David Nucifora, now working for the Irish Rugby Football Union, is understood to have advised Leinster against releasing Douglas without a huge compensation deal, but ARU officials have already rejected the club's request of $Aus370,000 for a release.