Six Nations:Denis Hickie may be on another continent enjoying the beginning of the rest of his life post-rugby but his absence from the Ireland squad ahead of the Six Nations Championship this weekend will be keenly felt. As the old adage suggests, it's not until someone is gone that his value is truly appreciated.

Leinster missed the cutting edge he provided this season and Ireland may do likewise. Hickie possessed what cannot be coached; the blistering, natural pace of a sprinter. He also possessed other qualities - great footwork, to name one - but it was his pure speed that often converted half chances into tries.

There is no adequate replacement. Coach Eddie O'Sullivan is likely to hand the wing berths for the opening Six Nations against Italy to Geordan Murphy and Andrew Trimble, one a gifted attacking fullback, the other a man who plays most of his rugby at outside centre.

The form wing in the country this season by some margin is Tommy Bowe, but he must be content with a place on the Ireland A team to take on the England Saxons at Welford Road next Friday night.

Bowe played most of his underage rugby at fullback - where he was a brilliant strike runner, especially in broken play - and this in part may be why he has decided to leave Ulster at the end of the season for Ospreys.

Bowe has adapted well to the demands of wing play, as have the likes of Rob Kearney, Luke Fitzgerald and Leicester's Johne Murphy. But all have a common bond: given the choice none would play on the wing.

The Irish underage system for the past decade, especially at under-21 and latterly under-20, mirrors the practice of the national side of shunting good footballers to the extremities of the back line because of a perceived lack of bona fide wings.

The system hasn't developed any and it's a massive cause for concern, graphically illustrated by Leinster's trawl of the rugby globe for an international quality wing and Munster's great coup in signing Doug Howlett.

In fairness to both provinces they have little choice. O'Sullivan must cast a wistful glance at Six Nations opponents not similarly handicapped.

France boast Aurélien Rougerie, Vincent Clerc and Cedric Heymans, to name but three. England can afford to leave the Leicester flyer Tom Varndell and James Simpson Daniel of Gloucester in the Saxons squad secure in the knowledge David Strettle, Paul Sackey and Lesley Vainikolo provide a decent cutting edge. Wales have Shane Williams and Mark Jones. Scotland have Rory Lamont and Simon Webster.

Only Italy of recent vintage tend to mimic Ireland's gambit of shuffling their deck of backs to fill holes farther out.

One notable Irish success is Shane Horgan, who made the transition from centre to Test wing to great effect at all levels from province through to Lions. He accomplished this by dint of physique, ability and footballing intelligence. Where is he playing his rugby this weekend? It's as an inside centre for Ireland A at Welford Road. He's returning from injury but it still represents a curious decision.

The upshot for O'Sullivan during this Six Nations campaign is the premium on inventive back play and the pressure heaped on the midfield axis of Ronan O'Gara, Gordon D'Arcy and Brian O'Driscoll.

It's instructive to refer back to last summer's Churchill Cup.

Ireland beat Scotland to win the Plate competition for teams contesting third place in the six-team tournament. The Ireland wings that day were Paul McKenzie and Keith Earls. Not one player from that particular squad has graduated to its senior sibling for the Six Nations, while from the England side that beat the New Zealand Maoris in the Churchill Cup final Tom Croft, James Haskell, Richard Wigglesworth, Paul Sackey and Danny Cipriani have all made the upward progression.

Quite how the IRFU view the shadow Ireland team is not abundantly clear, but of equal concern is the shortfall of quality and depth in specific positions. A few years ago the anxiety was inspired by a perceived dearth of props but it is talented young wings Irish rugby now craves.

Ulster's Mark McCrea stands in not so splendid isolation from a provincial perspective.

For O'Sullivan and the short-term future of Irish rugby the solution is about as far away as Hickie sitting on a South American beach.