In the normal course of events, just before the Ireland head coach names his squad of the Six Nations, he'll have seen a lot of rugby prior to his selection.
The Christmas derbies and two full rounds of European action usually precede the squad announcement.
Last year Andy Farrell named his squad on 25 January and the year before on 15 January.
While player management protocols over the last few years have meant we haven’t always seen Ireland’s best face off against each other in the festive season, there was always enough quality on display as well as 'trial’ theme to give the games an extra edge.
Rivals for a starting jersey in the national team squared off against each other, jousting for positions in front of Farrell.
The Autumn Nations Series and the consistency in selection – Farrell changed just one player from Japan to New Zealand, and three (two injured) from the All Blacks to Argentina game before late injuries saw more switches - bode well for the current squad with the head coach having a firm idea of his best XV.
But for the fringe players who want a swing at the incumbent, the postponement of three of the four derbies could not have come at a worse time.
They will now be praying extra hard that rounds three and four of the Heineken Champions Cup go ahead.
Already, with the competition played across six different jurisdictions, inside and outside of the EU, it's hard to see all fixtures going off without a hitch.
Eight of the of the 24 games from rounds one and two were either cancelled or postponed, although Leinster were the only Irish side to miss out.
As it stands, Munster are due to host Ulster on Saturday, although a promised medical update from the visitors never materialised yesterday.
"There are some brighter sparks around," former Ireland hooker Bernard Jackman told RTÉ Sport this morning.
"Games are starting to be played now, we’ll hopefully have Munster-Ulster at the weekend. At the Premiership and the Top14, more games are being played.
"It looks like we’re coming out the other side of that period in December. I’m more confident. It looks like we’ll have a decent schedule."
With Johnny Sexton recovering from a twisted knee and ankle, Ross and Harry Byrne would have been expected to feature in the last three Leinster matches.
Ciarán Frawley, too, got a cameo at out-half in the win over Connacht and having been named in the training squad for November would have hoped to push on.
The loss of Leinster’s games with Munster and Ulster robbed those players of chances to face up to Ben Healy, another fine prospect, and Billy Burns, who, while on a downward trajectory with Ireland, has seven caps.
Centres Robbie Henshaw and Bundee Aki, Lions Test starters, and Garry Ringrose are notably ahead of the pack but what Ulster’s James Hume (above) wouldn’t have given for the opportunity to back up impressive outings at the RDS and in Europe against those frontliners.
Similarly, Rob Herring may have faced off against Ronán Kelleher or Dan Sheehan as the fight for the 2 and 16 jerseys heats up.
There’s a back-up spot going behind full-back Hugo Keenan.
Munster boss Johann van Graan has hinted that Simon Zebo, who has played just three games since returning, will be involved against Ulster.
"Yeah, definitely in the mix," the South African told RTÉ Sport.
After getting no minutes this autumn, and then going on the horrid tour of South Africa, the 31-year-old could be just one performance away from a squad shirt against Wales. However, the lack of action means he’s up against it in terms of convincing Farrell he’s worth the punt.
There were a couple of examples from last Saturday’s derby in Galway.
Connacht’s Kieran Marmion, who has 28 Irish caps, is down the pecking order at scrum-half but he simply out-played Craig Casey on the night.
Jack Carty, before his "pretty severe" mouth injury, was directing play nicely and with Joey Carbery on the sidelines, he’ll fancy his chances.
"There’s no doubt he’s back-up to Sexton, on form," Jackman told this week’s RTÉ Rugby podcast.
"I’d be shocked if he wasn’t one of three 10s."
Finlay Bealham and Cian Prendergast also stood out at the Sportsground.
If all the Irish provinces get through rounds three and four it will mean Farrell gets to see Munster away at Castres and at home to Wasps; Ulster away to Northampton and home to Clermont; Connacht at the Sportsground against Leicester and then in Stade, while Leinster welcome Montpellier before heading over to face Bath.
Following that there’s a last round of URC games the week before the start of the Six Nations.
It might be a long shot to get all these games played but with the Wales match just 31 days away, the fringe players are quickly running out of time to impress the boss.
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