Liam Hennessy Interview: After the success of Ireland's 10-week pre-season programme, the Irish Rugby Football Union's director of fitness Dr Liam Hennessy has called for a similar gathering mid-campaign to ensure the elite player's physical conditioning is progressed to the next level.

"It's like a foundation of a house," he explained, "the deeper foundation the bigger and the more you can do with that house right? We've only had one run at it. It only lasts a certain period before we lose the benefits of it.

"But I'd like to think we can go further and that means saying that's not enough. We need to have some in-season theories where we can actually go back and re-establish the foundations so you can continue the effects longer."

Dr Hennessy was speaking at the IRFU and Energia launch of a research programme at Trinity College that focuses on improved nutrition and rate of recovery for the national team.

"We have to change mindsets in the way we organise ourselves. Why just rely on that once a year when there are benefits from putting another pocket in the middle of the season to move you on again? That's where we really have to look at.

"It's interesting to note even in South Africa now they are making great noise about the importance of the pre-season development and curtailing player involvement in tours. What we have done other countries are modelling on now."

As Irish rugby licks its wounds after a disappointing Six Nations campaign the year-long season rumbles on. But before injury decimated the midfield and Ireland became labelled as an overly structural side there were widespread soundings of the Grand Slam.

Then reality came along and burst that bubble.

So where from here? Japan for some and New Zealand for others depending on how the Lions squad announcement goes on April 11th.

All this shortens the window for allocating another pre-season programme, as the provinces will again be clamouring for their top players.

Still, Hennessy goes to the union next week with the advanced proposals: "We did it before with the enforced foot-and-mouth break (in 2001) but the year prior to that we did it as well when the players were released for a month to do this work. We don't need any more convincing that this actually works but it is trying to get that time is the next challenge.

"The calendar is so crowded and the commitment of the players to the Celtic League, the ERC, and all that, is just huge but we have to address it.

"Then there are several other things like looking at how players performed at the end of a campaign. Hopefully we are going to learn lessons and move on."

Hennessy intends to develop a pre-season scheme right through the age levels, even down to under-15s, in order to target the players that will carry Ireland into the 2011 and 2015 World Cups.

"Staying just with the conditioning side. This shouldn't just be for our senior players; we got to start with our younger players. Not the same volume and intensity but the same period of development. Starting a year or two before is too little too late.

"We got to look at how we can get players at 14 and 15 and give them enough time in the gym to learn to lift. To do the right things and the right lifestyle so that they accumulate four or five of pre-seasons. Then we can take them on board as pros because they have the background."

For the last two years Hennessy has gone into the schools and clubs with the Powerade Conditioning Programme where the coaches at grassroots level are being educated. The sponsorship brings the essential funding. Already, 85 to 100 coaches are on the course.

"We know we are ahead of the posse, only in some respects though because the gap that exists with our school kids and our counterparts in Australia and New Zealand is huge in physical development because they have a PE system in place.

"We don't. This is the one thing we are hoping will help the coach spend more time with the player."

A slow burn as the good doctor describes it.