Leinster is still the place to be for the large number of young players fighting for the oxygen of game time, insists Stuart Lancaster.
Stacked with young talent, the legacy of a superby academy and schools system, Leinster's setup is providing a conveyor belt of choice to Leo Cullen and Lancaster - and these kids on the conveyor belt are also getting opportunities to play as the Blues management mix and match their squad selections with an eye to the future.
But there have been calls for some of the Blue bloods to be moved around the provinces - particularly to Connacht, who are dealing with a serious injury crisis.
Lancaster, however, believes it's in Leinster's interest to retain the cream of the young guns to future proof success for the province over the next decade.
"There have been players left during my time," said Lancaster. "We've played against Tom Daly, while Nick McCarthy, he was playing for Munster the weekend before.
"We'll see. it's in our interest to keep all the best young talent because you want to grow Leinster into a world class team for the next 10 years.
"And where I've seen it happen in the past is...young talent have left clubs during my time in England when they haven't been given an opportunity, and I think we always try and give them an opportunity.
"If they're not involved in the training sessions or they don't get proper development, they are very much seen as second fiddle or holding bags, they don't get asked their opinion, they're not valued at meetings...that doesn't happen here.
"Take a Tommy O'Brien or Ryan Baird or Harry Byrne, these lads who are beginning to step onto the scene now. They're involved in every training session and meeting for the past two and a half years, really.
"I did a review this morning (Monday) at 9 o'clock with the team. There must have been 35-40 players in the meeting, and all the academy staff were there.
"But there wer some lads couldn't make it and they're all young lads who haven't played for Leinster yet - and I had a second meeting with them to go through all what we did.
"So that's how you make young players feel welcome, I think, and that's what keeps them here".
