News: John O'Sullivanon the lack of turbo power on Ireland's wings and a man who could provide it.

Fionn Carr celebrated his 22nd birthday in December. He is in his third and final year in the Leinster Rugby Academy and in May will sit his finals in Economics and Geography at UCD. He's also representative of an endangered and certainly rare species in Irish rugby at the moment: the player with the raw material to be a top-flight wing.

Over the past decade Irish rugby has, with the zeal of a 19th century African missionary, converted fullbacks, centres and outhalves to fill the wing positions at underage and senior Test level.

Last Saturday at the Stade de France the Ireland back line contained three fullbacks and two centres. The absence of genuine, pacy wings restricts patterns and should be a cause for concern. A decade of neglect is biting hard.

It would be reasonable to assume provincial academies are prioritising the recruitment of wings. They may be after a fashion, but certainly not in the requisite numbers. Carr has spent the last three years at the Leinster academy trying to juggle rugby with his studies at UCD.

His pedigree was obvious at Newbridge College, as was his versatility; he played on the wing up to and including the Junior Cup, at outhalf in fourth and fifth years and at centre in sixth year.

He played on the wing for the Leinster and Ireland Schools and lined out at wing and fullback for the Leinster Under-21s before being handed the number 15 jersey with the Ireland Under-21s.

His cross-fertilisation in the back line enhanced his skills but he possessed the one raw ingredient that cannot be coached: sprinter's speed. In his schooldays he finished third in the Leinster 100 metres and reached the All-Ireland 400-metre final - but had to scratch because of rugby commitments.

This season, despite his commitments at UCD, Carr hoped to get Magners Celtic League game time after impressing in pre-season games. He played 70 minutes against Bath and got the first half against Biarritz and 20 minutes against Padova. Crucially, though, Luke Fitzgerald, had lined out at centre in those games, and when the season started and Leinster welcomed back their international contingent, Fitzgerald moved to the wing and Carr was shunted to the periphery.

He did make his competitive debut against Glasgow in the Celtic League but has subsequently had to settle for playing with Leinster A and Blackrock College in the AIB League. It's a dangerous milieu for a rising star.

The standard at club level can charitably be described as mixed, fledgling professionals rubbing shoulders with true amateurs. Talent is too widely dispersed in a ridiculously large 16-club format. It's not a good environment for the likes of Carr, camouflaging weaknesses and tending to introduce poor habits.

Carr would argue he has benefited from playing with Blackrock, especially given their style of play. But the league is light years removed from a rigorous proving ground, which, compounded by an abridged A series is compromising his development - whether he accepts that or not.

He plays fullback at Blackrock but the Leinster head coach sees a different role for him.

"I have spoken to Michael (Cheika) and he told me he sees me as a winger," says Carr. "He's been very good in terms of chatting about what he wants and expects from me. He's looking for finishers.

"I don't really have a favourite position but if pressed it would probably be wing on the proviso that you see plenty of ball. This season's ambition was to break into the senior squad and get some game time.

"Obviously it's been quite hard at times juggling my studies . . . but I have good friends who give me the notes if I miss lectures.

"I want to play professional rugby but to do that I have to convince people over the next few months I am good enough."

Very quick and strong, he's got to improve his ball retention in contact and there's technical work to be done in tackling but he has the raw material to play in Europe and beyond.

This weekend Cheika has elected to include last season's Under-20 Grand Slam-winning fullback Felix Jones in the squad for tomorrow's Magners League game against Cardiff at the RDS. Jones, Ross McCarron (also named), Carr and Vasily Artemiev are all competing for a squad place, especially when the internationals are not available.

Carr will head for Galway with Blackrock aware the clock is ticking on his ambitions. He needs to work hard to fast-track his development and should be assisted to do so.

Carr needs to be single-minded to secure a contract at the end of the season when the academy safety net is removed. He's good enough, worth the investment, especially given the parlous state of Irish wing play. He should not be allowed to slip away through technical neglect. The next few months will be instructive both for the player and the system.

Driven man: Carr facts

Position: Fullback/wing

Club: Blackrock College RFC

Province: Leinster

School: Newbridge College

Date of birth: 17/12/1985

Height: 5ft 11ins

Weight: 91kg

Official Leinster Caps: 1

Points scored: 0

Leinster A Caps: 12

Senior debut: Magners League, 23-17 defeat v Glasgow Warriors, October 12th, 2007

Heineken European Cup caps: 0

Ireland Under-21 caps: 10

Leinster Under-21 caps: 5 Ireland Under-19 caps: 1 (v New Zealand)

Ireland Schools caps: 2

Leinster Schools caps: 5