Ongoing.

Leinster Rugby are hoping to retain the services of both RG Snyman and Rabah Slimani next season with both players playing key roles for Leinster this season as they remain unbeaten in both the URC and Champions Cup.

Snyman signed for Leinster in a controversial move from rivals Munster over the summer and has been outstanding for the eastern province.

Slimani was signed despite new IRFU High-Performance Director David Humphreys blocking Irish provinces from signing NIQ props as they look to build resources in that area themselves.

His move over the summer was said to be already in motion and an exception was seemingly made but should he sign a new deal – it may not go down well with the other provinces.

“Yeah, those are the conversations that are ongoing,” Humphreys said at Ireland’s training camp in Portugal yesterday when asked about the pair.

“You’ll have seen the impact that they’ve made. You’ll have seen the fact from a development point of view, certainly with the number of players who are playing in the national squad, the number of nationally contracted players, they have not been in any way a break on player development or young player development.

“So I think they have added a huge amount to Leinster this year and those conversations with Leinster and the other provinces as to who they are recruiting are ongoing.”

Humphreys then seemed to take a step back from that blanket ban on props, stating that there has to be

“There has to be a flexibility,” said Humphreys.

“It started a conversation, we all recognised that front-row succession was something that Andy Farrell was very concerned about.

“Even in the course of the last six months with someone like Thomas Clarkson coming through, some of the real concerns have eased. But we’re still very conscious that developing front row forwards is a huge priority for us.

“It’s why Seamus Toomey has been appointed as the scrum development coach to do a lot of that work further down at 16 to 18 level and with underage teams from a technical point of view.

“The nature of high performance, yes of course you’re going to set some restrictions and guidelines to give people some parameters in which to work, but as we showed in November when there’s a pressure in a particular province, i.e. with Munster Dian Bleuler was allowed to be signed because from a performance point of view, we had to be flexible and adaptable.

“That’s very much how I see it. We are very much committed to developing our own front row forwards but as the system evolves and players develop there’s definitely ongoing conversations.”

Humphreys added that the NIQ systems as a whole will now be much more ”flexible” for the provinces compared to previous years.

“It’s much more flexible now,” Humphreys added.

“I think if you look back 10 years ago, it was four foreign players and one project player and that was set in stone with no negotiation around that.

“The provinces have moved a little bit, some of that is financial pressure they’re under and from an IRFU point of view it’s about making sure that the NIQ players who come in are adding real value in terms of what they can do on the pitch and also the influence and impact they can have on some of the younger players coming through.

“At this stage, there’s no set restrictions on who they can and can’t sign.”

Humphreys also accepted the advantages that Leinster have being based in the capital and the goal is to bring the other three up to their level.

“We have to ensure the provinces close the gap to where the current difference with Leinster is,” Humphreys said.

“At this moment in time, Leinster have been unbelievably successful. Everyone around the world of rugby is looking to what Leinster are doing in their system to produce the players and the success they’ve had. For me, it’s about making sure that Leinster remain where they are.

“So it’s much more a case of maintaining Leinster where they are, but making sure the support that goes to the other provinces allows them to continue their progression and move.

“I think the big message is that Leinster are where they are, they have a lot of unique parts to what makes Leinster successful, capital city and everything that comes with that.

“So rather than compare the other provinces and say, Leinster have got this, the other provinces haven’t got that, it’s what’s right for each of those provinces and that’s very much going to have to be driven by them.”

Quotes via The42.ie