The last act of 2014 in the Toland’s household was the cutting of the cake. Yes, it was not just Alex Ferguson’s birthday on New Year’s Eve, but it was also my father Colm’s 80th and what a night we had with the highlight being Colm’s reflection not just on 2014 but the many wonderful preceding years.

Looking back at 2014, I’m bowled over by how quickly all things have changed.

In a very short space of time Joe Schmidt has managed to unify the rugby players in Ireland. His squads have a playing style that they all understand and implement. For those who don't, it's zero tolerance; they're jettisoned.

But for those who do, there are rich rewards. Take Rhys Ruddock’s breakfast conversation the morning of the South Africa game. Yes, he was covering the backrow all week but to slot in to Chris Henry’s number seven jersey so seamlessly at such short notice was a remarkable insight into how Schmidt’s broader players understand totally what is expected.

It’s not that long ago the spare man would have had a hangover Saturday morning.

Real competition

Jack McGrath likewise at loose head has slotted in brilliantly and so on goes the broadening of knowledge well beyond the starting 15. With all this in mind, Ireland will continue to improve through knowledge and real competition. A quality players such as Donnacha Ryan can testify, injury is a very costly experience in Schmidt’s environment with a rush of players mentally and physically ready to step in, hold on to the jersey and flourish.

With just five competitive games plus five warm-ups before facing Canada on September 19th, 2015 Ireland have precious little time.

Hence broadening the player base while protecting the integrity of the five professional teams (provinces plus Ireland) makes huge sense and is also a fillip for the provinces where fringe players gain valuable opportunities that may be denied to them were coaches not encouraged to rotate.

How much pitch time would we have experienced of Leinster (third choice?) tighthead Tadhg Furlong had injury and player rotation not given him opportunities? The Leinster website credits him with three Leinster 'A' caps and three British & Irish Cup caps (v Leeds Carnegie, Moseley, Cross Keys).

This is hardly a huge return for the 24-year-old. In fact 24 is an interesting age where, if you've not made it, you may slip off the scale. Munster secondrow and now Irish secondrow Dave Foley didn't make it till he was 26 which is fast becoming unusual; a solution is required.

Healthy balance

The obvious challenge for the provinces in managing the Guinness Pro 12 table, hunger for silverware and next season’s European qualification is balancing the exposure for Furlong et al. This healthy balance needs to be encouraged. The nasty side effect to an unhealthy balance would be a reduction in the top-end size of each senior squad in favour of expensive quality with a break glass emergency dipping into the academy pool akin to the English Premiership. This would leave little ground for the in-between players too old for the academy and too raw for the seniors. An alternative might be to send our bright young talent across to London to bolster the flagging London Irish languishing at the wrong end of the table.

It doesn’t have to be too complicated but a friendly relationship to ensure that the gap between academy and senior team filled by maturing players such as Furlong get pitch time to validate their commitment to the cause and also provide a continuation of the player pool funnelling into the Irish team.

Deeper challenge

But a deeper challenge, that is especially evident in Leinster at present, is playing lots of 'new' faces at once impacts the overall quality. And in the absence of their traditional big time players like Cian Healy, Seán O'Brien and many retirees these second/third string players are not running as hot as when they stepped in, in previous seasons.

The highly-talented and Six Nations Championship medal holder Jordi Murphy has just returned from a long injury lay-off and can be forgiven for much of his performance in Thomond Park on Stephen's Day. But he looked lost at times and unable to impose himself technically or physically. No harm at this stage as he will soon get back to where he was but is his struggle a window into the impact Healy and O'Brien et al are having?

Last season Murphy was on fire at the tail of the pummelling much of his big-named Leinster players subjected their opposition to but this year the fringe players are making less impact. The opening salvoes in Thomond Park between Munster and Leinster were most encouraging and for the first time in some time Leinster’s attack was crisp, ball out in front while probing for holes.

Both defences were aggressively getting off the line (a particular bugbear is the unfettered early movement going unnoticed by referees) and making big, aggressive hits. But as time ticked by Munster found their rhythm of gain-line rugby, clear-outs and clever field position while Leinster drifted further away to a humbling loss unable to answer any questions up front.

It is a challenge for the provinces. But I enjoy especially seeing quality players such as Murphy return from injury and Furlong escaping from ‘A’ rugby.

PS. If you're struggling to shift the Christmas pudding off the midriff check out Tyler Kanemori on youtube and his '315 lbs kneeling squat jump'.

liamtoland@yahoo.com