Here we are then, at the midway point in the World Cup cycle, and it’s doubtful if there will be another Saturday quite like this one for taking a dive into Ireland’s depth chart.

Andy Farrell has delved in to his 36-man squad for the game against Japan at the Aviva Stadium (kick-off 12.40pm); meanwhile, an Ireland XV play against World Cup qualifiers Spain in Leganés (kick-off 5pm local time/4pm Irish).

The door hasn’t completely shut on those players who are not part of either Irish squad, but time is running out. Of the 33-man squad Farrell picked for the 2023 World Cup in France, all but five were part of Ireland’s 2021 Autumn Nations Series squad, at the same point in the last cycle.

Two of those five had been part of the Ireland Under-20 team whose Six Nations campaign – and career – had been cut short by the pandemic but would still force their way into the World Cup squad, namely Joe McCarthy and Jack Crowley.

McCarthy would subsequently make his Leinster debut in January 2022 and, after 11 appearances for his province in the second half of that season, he was swiftly called in to the squad for the five-match summer tour to New Zealand, including three Tests and two games against the New Zealand Maoris.

The then 20-year-old lock would become the youngest member of the World Cup squad at 22, and Crowley would be the second-youngest. Before the 2021 Autumn Series, the then 21-year-old Crowley had only started one game at “10″ for Munster, where there was something of a logjam at outhalf.

But Crowley was included in the 2022 Autumn Nations Series and made his Ireland debut off the bench against Fiji, before starting against Australia