Noses out of joint. So what? Building towards the World Cup is the primary focus

THIS morning, a youthful Emerging Ireland squad will board a flight to South Africa ahead of the Toyota Cup tournament in Bloemfontein. Ireland’s campaign begins against the Griquas on Friday before games against the Pumas and Cheetahs the week after.

What will stand-in head coach Simon Easterby and the Ireland management possibly glean from three matches against second-tier South African opposition in the middle of the busy stages of the United Rugby Championship? We really won’t know until next year’s World Cup.

The controversial move from the IRFU, whisking 35 prospects away from provincial duty, especially with a few big derbies on the horizon, has been met with heavy criticism this week, with Luke Fitzgerald leading the charge. The former Leinster and Ireland wing’s main point of contention was Ciaran Frawley’s (presence on the tour. Fitzgerald proclaimed the promising Leinster midfielder/out-half should be ‘fuming’ about this arrangement. Why all the aggro about this project? Frawley (right) is one of several young players who could make a big impact at France 2023.

Playing in big games for the provinces and doing things by the book hasn’t worked out too well for Ireland at World Cups in the past. Yes, this Emerging Ireland tour is a bit left-field and it caught the provinces on the hop. It’s put a fair few noses out of joint.

Ultimately, who cares? The next 12 months is all about building towards a proper World Cup assault.

Andy Farrell is clearly trying to explore some new avenues in a bid to get the national team past a quarter-final for the first time. If Frawley ends up as a genuine contender and/or back-up to Johnny Sexton in France next year, this jaunt to South Africa will have been worth all the inconvenience.