Whilst not wishing to dispute your argument re timing, the people on my course who had already a year's instruting under their belts adapted much better to the IR. It used to puzzle me no end because surely their experience was a year's flying VFR, but in the end it seemed to me that there is just no substitute for flying experience and currency.
Am I right in thinking that for your IR there is a 3 year clock ticking on your exam credits, or has that changed now?