Second helpings might have been the nickname of one of a number of provincial and Irish rugby players in the past. But over the two weeks between now and the New Year, all of the players involved with their provinces are expected to forego the usual festive indulgences.

Mark McManus and Fergal O'Callaghan, who are the fitness advisers to Munster don't even need to crack the whip anymore. The rugby revolution it appears has happened - the cultural one.

The players, according to former track and field Scottish international, McManus, are "more educated" about the levels of fitness and preparation needed to be maintained and improved on through demanding seasons. Christmas and the New Year are not times to fall back into old grooves. Training says McManus is "pretty much normal" over the next few weeks.

"Three years ago players might have been and groaning about training through Christmas. Now they are happier doing it.

"The culture in Ireland with the drink and the food doesn't help. But over the years the guys have seen the physical appearance of other top players and sides and they want to develop themselves to the same degree. That little bit extra can make the difference at the end of the day.

"If we gave them a lighter schedule, they'd be disappointed. This year they have the 24th, 25th and 26th off. Other than that it is normal. We have a squad session on New Year's Day and two fitness sessions on New Year's Eve. Monday to Friday of that week is a normal week."

In a previous rugby life when Christmas offered opportunities to catch up on drinking sessions, players now see it as a phase of redevelopment. After four months of physical exertion, the relative quiet at the end of the year is an opportunity for recuperation rather than festive attrition. They no longer arrive in the University of Limerick gym and sweat 40-year-old port in the first session back.

"I will guarantee we'll get four to five players wanting to train on Christmas Day and Stephen's Day. I won't tell you their names or they'll get slagged by the other players," says McManus. "I did last year and they came and trained. They have a routine now. They know rugby is a profession and they want to maintain their schedules, maybe do a little extra.

"Last year, and maybe even more this year, this time of year has become an important phase from a fitness point of view. What everyone complains of now is the schedule, which doesn't allow much time for development aerobics, speed and strength type of work, when we can train them like athletes.

"I'd say that when we came in three or four years ago they were not training properly. We'd have been more scientific about it and results have shown that things have definitely improved. Take injured players like John Kelly, Anthony Horgan or David Wallace, the shape those guys are in is fantastic. Okay, they'll have to adjust to playing rugby but they are in good physical shape."

While McManus comes from the discipline of athletics and O'Callaghan from rowing, so too is their division of labour with the Munster team slightly different. McManus concentrates on the Cork-based players with O'Callaghan in Limerick.

"Sure there can be a major conflict at this time of year to go out with friends or not when you've got to train first thing in the morning," says McManus. "Maybe having a full schedule is an easy way out. But our main problem is getting places to train because they close down this time of year. The University in Limerick closes."

For all four provinces, who have their own physical advisers, January is an important month and for the national players it is a crucial period in the build-up to the Six Nations Championship.

"Yes, there are crunch games in January. You try to get the players to peak and it also ties in well with the Six Nations. They will do their one and a half hours in the morning and the same in the afternoon with no shopping or golf in between. The players have bought into this. We usually try to work four weeks in advance so they know what they have to do up until January 14th."

The times when Victor Costello, Shane Byrne and Rob Henderson were asked by the Irish management to get fit appears to be a thing of Christmas past. Christmas present is an altogether slimmer animal.