Some experts give their views on the relationship between the IRFU and schools.

Allen Clarke

(IRFU high performance manager)

Relationship with rugby schools? "We're certainly looking to establish good working relationships. From what I've seen from the school environment, and I've been working very closely with them, people want to feel valued.

"As such there is a responsibility for us as key partners to share our best practice with the schools. We have elite player development officers and a fitness coach who will be assigned primarily to underage grade rugby.

"So a player who is picked up at under-16, by the time he reaches under-20s and the Junior World Championship programme he has four to five years' development behind him. That'll ensure we compete in terms of our holistic qualities. It is not necessarily about targeting future professional rugby players, it's about education as well."

Access to a schools player? "The degree of goodwill and support I've received is second to none. Coaches within the schools actually realise they have players who aspire to be the best they can be at club and in the provincial teams and the international arena. Our opposition are pushing on all the time. They are not interested in their educational development. We are as it produces a more balanced player."

Charlie McAleese

(Irish under-19 coach)

Relationship with rugby schools? "On some occasions the academy coaches are getting more access to players in schools than perhaps they were two or three years ago. Some schools, usually at a tier just below the most successful schools, are admitting academy conditioning and skills coaches to have access with players. More than they used to.

"The players who they are getting access to make rapid progress. There are statistics in terms of weight gain, power and speed even after six-week intensive periods of conditioning. These figures are quoted to me by academy managers.

"I've also listened to frustration from academy coaches at not having access to certain players in the 17, 18 age bracket.

"With the under-19s, with no world cup this year, I've made it into an 18-month programme coming out of schools; conditioning, skills and performance. There are two internationals at Easter (against Italy and France) which is a midway assessment of how they are going towards an under-20s World Cup next year."

Access to a schools player? "Some schools welcome skills and conditioning programmes. Some schools feel it is going to affect their performance when the Cup comes around."

Colm McEntee

(Head of Leinster Academy)

Relationship with rugby schools? "Over the last few years it's definitely improving. When you are looking at the schools system you have to be conscious of the player. He has pressure from home to get his studies done, pressure from the coaches to train three or four days and week and then gym work. There is a balancing act there.

"Now, obviously we would like to do anything we can to improve it. It's not a case of criticising; it's a case of can we do better by our players.

A lot of other countries don't have transition year so they have a year on us. England target players at 16 and pull them out. Ireland does it differently."

Access to a schools player? "You've got to put yourself in their shoes. Obviously it is all about winning. It is a job and any job has performance indicators and that is doing as well as you can in the Schools' Cup.

"There are a lot of good coaches out there. There are some positives from the schools' cup in that you are putting players into a very competitive environment where it is a one-off game. If it was more like a European Cup nature it might change the emphasis on it."