Since the Academy system began developing the players of the future at the beginning of the 2005-2006 season there have been undeniable improvements in strength and fitness of players on the pitch brought through by the system. This has resulted in an increase in playing power for Wales's semi-professional and professional sides with players from the Academy system finding their way into the regional set-up and making Test debuts for Wales.

- Statistically, significant data shows improvements in average strength, speed endurance, size and speed at Academy level. For example, academy players' weight has increased on average by 10kg in two years.

- Better performers within the academies are already achieving World Class Standards in a variety of areas. Sam Warburton, an 18-year-old back row, has recorded a speed of 1.58 seconds for a 10m sprint; the measurement for speed endurance. This compares with Bryan Habana's 1.55 seconds and Joe Rokocoko's 1.56 seconds.

- Academy programme now provides the players with an industry standard NVQ qualification in Sporting Excellence.

- 40% of academy players playing regularly for Principality Premiership sides with one third having experienced Regional rugby and through improvements in strength, weight and speed endurance and skill, a number of players have already made the significant transition to regional rugby.

Bradley Davies: A 19-year-old lock who has already made the step-up to professional regional rugby for the Blues. He already has a very high lean, body mass of 120kg, the standard for international locks.

Jamie Corsi: A 19-year-old tighthead prop who has easily held his own for the Dragons and toured Australia with Wales in June 2007 having already played for Wales U20 and Wales Sevens during the 2006-2007 season. Remarkable for a tighthead.

Ashley Smith: A first choice inside centre for his region and 2007 Wales U20 Captain.

Ken Owens: In the Scarlets 22 that had a six-match winning run in the 2006-2007 Heineken Cup.

Thomas James: Excelled for the Cardiff, Cardiff Blues, Wales Sevens and Wales U20 since joining the Blues Academy at the start of the 2006-2007 season; made Wales debut as a replacement against England at Twickenham in August 2007.

The launch of the Welsh Rugby Industry Project (the Academy system) has heralded the start of an ambitious process to develop Wales's future internationals through the core elements of being a professional rugby player, which include conditioning, tactical skills, technical skills, sports nutrition and sports psychology. Intensive and individually structured training in these areas coupled with performance lifestyle support from the academy programme now provides the players with an industry standard NVQ qualification in Sporting Excellence.

The emphasis within the academies has been to foster a learning environment whereby players are not spoon-fed the different disciplines. Instead, each player is encouraged to learn and think for themselves, thereby creating a well-rounded athlete, ready at an earlier age for the physical and mental intensities of professional rugby.

At the inception of the project two years ago, the WRU needed to build a structure that would foster such an environment. With the help of Objective 1 funding, the WRU now employs an Academy manager, a conditioning coach and a skills Coach in each Academy.