With 18 of his squad home-based, Ireland coach Eddie O'Sullivan is relatively free of the never-ending tug-of-war between the English RFU and their Premiership clubs over the release of players. And while he wasn't inclined to reopen this hornets nest, Andy Robinson could not conceal his displeasure over his frontline players going toe-to-toe in club action this weekend.

Among the match-ups is a top-of-the-table clash between Leicester and Sale, featuring 13 of his 36-man squad.

"We're asking Martin (Corry) and the others to play at their very best and we want to give them every opportunity to do that. Obviously that's not happened.

"So we've adapted our training, and while I'm disappointed it's not happened, I still believe that the preparation we do at the weekend will be right after the games at the weekend for England to perform.

"I'm not going to go back on what I've said, but unfortunately the players are caught out in the very middle. We need to sort out a structure in our game," he said, perhaps repeating the most oft-used phrase in English rugby since the advent of professionalism.

By contrast, his Wales counterpart, Mike Ruddock, who is preparing his men to begin the defence of their Grand Slam away to England on the opening day, was pleased to confirm that Toulouse coach Guy Noves will try to limit the involvement of his captain, Gareth Thomas, in their top-14 game against Pau.

Nor did Ruddock think having control over his home-based players will give him much of an advantage. "I'm not standing down all my players who'll play at Twickenham because I can't. Players will be going back to English and French clubs, and of my Welsh-based players I can stand down but I will be releasing quite a few back to the regions.

"Having a hard game the week before a Test match can be of benefit, but in terms of Wales it's probably in my interest to try and protect a few guys this weekend as best we can, in light of the fact that we've lost a bit of depth."