For those Leinster players not included in the Ireland squad for the Six Nations, the next few weeks offer an opportunity for game-time and to catch the eye.
That applies to Josh Murphy, with spaces in the back row opening up with a number of his colleagues away on international duty for the coming weeks.
"It's huge," the 25-year-old said at Leinster's press conference ahead of Saturday's Guinness Pro14 fixture against Scarlets.
"It's always a really big window for us in here and all the academy lads get to come up as well and show their stuff, so training stays really competitive and it's a really good opportunity for people to put their hands-up and get some time on the pitch to really show what they can do instead of just in training,"
It's a big one for the easterners, with points needed to overtake Ulster in their conference.
Leinster's Josh Murphy looks ahead to the province's next #Pro14 clash and discusses balancing rugby with completing his medical studies #rterugby pic.twitter.com/43KTsQa7eq
— RTÉ Rugby (@RTErugby) January 26, 2021
"We're still a point behind Ulster so every point counts at the minute and last week's win doesn't count for anything unless we back it up this week and try and get back to the top of the table with the same amount of games played as Ulster.
"That's our sole focus at the moment and we're looking forward to getting out there and putting in a really good performance and hopefully getting the four or five points."
Rugby hasn't always been the sole focus for Murphy. In recent years, he has been balancing his career on the pitch with academics as he studies medicine at UCD.
"I'm still studying at the moment," he told RTÉ Sport.
"I'm hoping to finish up this year once all the exams and stuff can go ahead. So that might free me up for a bit less medicine, a bit more rugby in the future but at the moment, I'm still studying."
With time on his hands to focus on developing as a blindside flanker, the challenge is immense to try and push his way into an area in which Leinster are extremely well stocked.
"I probably chose the wrong position early days in my career," he quipped.
"But there are so many lads and the problem is they're all really nice lads as well so you can't even be angry at them when they get picked ahead of you.
"But it's what makes it great in here, I suppose, how competitive it is to get to that position and if you don't perform out there, somebody else is ready to take your spot."
