THE SCRUM. More to the point, the Ireland scrum, and the litany of overseas signings which have, goes the theory, stunted the growth of indigenous props. Banish the dastardly foreigners from our land and the problem will be solved.

“Myself and John Afoa (Ulster prop) have seen our names in the press now a few times and I know this has come up a few times,” acknowledges BJ Botha, one of the dastardly ones.

“I think that the Irish had a bad outing against England at Twickenham and I don’t think that you can ever hit the nail on the head every single time you go out and scrum. Scrumming is really something you build. It’s a work in progress.”

Like a gunslinger in the wild, wild west, there’s always someone lurking around the corner to take your scrum down, says Botha, who readily cites Munster’s 51-36 victory in the pool finale against Northampton at Stadium MK, which was very much in spite rather than because of Munster’s problems at scrum time.

“Against Northampton away we weren’t on the money and possibly that’s what’s kind of happened to Ireland but there’s no quick fix for it.

“I think players coming through need to be groomed, need to be brought through, given experience, playing with experienced players and coming through the ranks and slowing developing them.”

The irony is, of course, that having helped stabilise the Ulster scrum for three seasons, Botha was something of a quick fix for Munster in a way that Ireland cannot emulate.

But what Botha means is that a prop “can be pushed too soon and for frontrow players confidence is a huge part.

“A youngster getting broken in early on and then not taking the next step; confidence can be shot and it’s tough to bring back that mental part again.

“You can take the physical and bring the physical part again but to fix the mental part can just be a little bit longer.”

Citing his own formative days with senior frontrowers at the Sharks, he believes that he can also have a developmental role with Munster players.

“I was like a sponge, just wanted to learn really and playing with them provided me with that vital experience I needed.

“I learned playing against the bigger, experienced players and with them. So hopefully I can do that.

“I really am passionate about scrumming and the position and everything else that goes with it. So, for sure, I’m trying to help every part as I can.

“I think there’s a transition that happens from school rugby into senior rugby and that’s where really we have to look after our players and groom them from there. However that will take some time.

“Again, it’s not a quick fix, but moving on to professional rugby at the top with guys like Stephen Archer and John Ryan, I can give as much as they want really.

“I’ve got all the time for them and similarly I’m still learning every day from them.”

No players develop later than props, which makes the restriction of one forward per team in the Ulster Bank League all the more mystifying.

“I think the guys coming through are not getting enough game time, especially in the All-Ireland League. But I do also feel that the culture you create and being in that culture is important.

“For instance guys like John Ryan haven’t really played much. However, what he has done is he has come away with us on Heineken Cup weekends and he has been in that culture.

“He has been in that changing-room. He feels what it’s like to be there. He has been there afterwards when they’ve won the game.

“That is more important, the mental building there that goes with that and then bringing the players through slowly, maybe off the bench for the last 15 minutes. That is vital because the game has just slowed down that little bit. You’ve got time to establish yourself.

“It’s not high intensity as it was in the beginning and you can put a guy in there and that’s where he’s earning his stripes. That’s where you are going to see if the guy is going to put his hands up or not. That transition is extremely important.

“Now you can go the complete other way where you can throw him in at the deep end but that’s where the guy is either going to survive or sink to the bottom and that’s the kind of danger that you’ve got to face in that decision.”

Ultimately, a prop forward generally has to come through the school of hard knocks, like Botha himself, and not ultimately reach his prime until his late 20s or even, more likely, his 30s.

“For sure, I think that’s the fight within the player.

“At the end of the day, how badly does he want it?

Now that’s the fight.”