RUGBY:THE IRFU are content that their management of the number of foreign players playing on provincial teams in Ireland is satisfactory despite concerns voiced recently by former Ireland captain Keith Wood and the incumbent national coach, Eddie O'Sullivan.

Eddie Wigglesworth, the IRFU's director of rugby, is adamant the union have been vigilant in monitoring the number of foreigners on the provincial squads.

"We are not unduly concerned, not totally of the view that there are too many foreigners," he said.

"The PAG (Players Advisory Group) take a tight control on that issue. There was a motion to increase the number of foreign players but we have maintained existing restrictions. What we are looking for are high-profile, world-class players."

The number of imported players unqualified to play for Ireland has become an issue on foot of Ireland's 67-7 defeat in the A international against Scotland in Perth last Friday night. It was a staggering result and one that demands an internal audit concerning the role of the shadow national side in the development of Test players, its remit in an international context and the preparation and selection of the side.

O'Sullivan's argument is that Irish rugby must be careful in how foreign players are allowed to dilute the national playing pool, conceding finding the perfect balance between success and development is a precarious process.

"The number of overseas players in Ireland has always been a concern," he pointed out. "There are some good young (native) players who are being held out at the moment. That's not a criticism of the provinces. They have a job to do as well, and that's the tricky part for us.

"We're trying to compete in the Heineken Cup and the Magners League, but we are basing our playing pool around four provincial teams.

"England base theirs around the 12 Guinness Premiership clubs, so they can afford to have more foreign players in the mix without diluting their playing pool as much. This is the way the professional game is developing right now, and this issue shows there are still growing pains."

The Ireland coach accepted the match in Perth was a real eye-opener: "That was a bit of a shock result for everyone. If you look at that A team, I don't think it was a bad one. The alarm bell for us at the moment is that we don't have that same amount of depth that maybe we thought we had.

"A lot of the players we put out against Scotland A are guys who aren't really starting in the Magners League. They're not really getting enough exposure at the professional end of the game on a week-in-week-out basis. So there are certain areas of our pipeline that are jammed up.

"I'm not saying the players are not out there - there are actually some very good young guys in the system - but it's all about exposure."

O'Sullivan's argument about those not starting in the Magners League is a pretty subjective one - at least half the team do start. But his point about young Irish players being starved of exposure is certainly valid and the IRFU are continuing to assess options for the optimum professional framework. There is a realisation that the AIB League Division One in its current form is not good enough to develop academy players in a competitive environment.

A reduction in numbers in Division One coupled with a 10- or 12-match A interprovincial structure - those A matches to be played midweek - would seem to offer a way forward. To continue in the same vein will inspire an exodus of talented, young players to England, Wales and France.

O'Sullivan recognises this would represent a poor outcome.

"The danger with the guys going overseas is that we don't see them as much as we'd like to, and there's all sorts of issues getting them back to train and to manage.

"I think that problem will be exacerbated next year. We've already had red flags this year getting players over for squad sessions. There's a bigger political picture at play here - the dynamics of the professional game between club and country - and we're caught in the crossfire."

It is, however, entirely understandable that young Irish players will leave this country if the system is failing them in their attempts to pursue a professional career.

Players like Geordan Murphy, Eoin Reddan, Bob Casey, Johne Murphy and Brian O'Riordan offer a sample name-check of those who have flourished since taking their chance in England.

It is as important for the development of Irish rugby to look at the internal structures as it is to demand some sort of quality control and quota on the players coming from abroad.