State of the Nation – Ireland

Ireland stand at the edge of an abyss. Having scaled the heights, using the very finest equipment, the cost of not bringing any spares or trialling one or two new bits and bobs is beginning to be paid. With a steep descent looming, will the new stuff hold up or will the team come crashing down?

Ireland stand at the edge of an abyss. Having scaled the heights, using the very finest equipment, the cost of not bringing any spares or trialling one or two new bits and bobs is beginning to be paid. With a steep descent looming, will the new stuff hold up or will the team come crashing down?

It was said by most at the time, and it is even more obvious now, that the decision of the IRFU to award Eddie O'Sullivan a new four-year contract before the World Cup was ludicrously mis-timed. Nothing can be taken for granted in elite sport, and although Ireland's hierarchy could be forgiven for being a little tipsy on the success of the past two years, they really shouldn't have been lulled into driving so recklessly forward last September.

Any speculation as to precisely what O'Sullivan's severance package is set to be is idle. He did resign from an untenable position. But the IRFU might be grateful – actually unseating O'Sullivan from his post could have been a costly and messy affair. All Ireland could be very very glad that the end of the tournament panned out the way it did.

Ireland did not move forward from the World Cup. The same frailties were evident: a propensity to be dominated in the darkest areas of the scrum, a lack of patience in the backs and a strange air of fragility throughout the team. Gone was the adventure of the previous years, and gone the spirit that could win a game from a losing position.

Now we shall see if a new approach freshens things up. But the impression is that it might need more than just a coaching change. Whisper it carefully, and only to choice people, but BOD's time as captain fantastic might be slowly coming to an end. So might Ronan O'Gara's as the fly-half extraordinaire. Paul O'Connell is not necessarily indispensible in the second row any more. Ireland need a new direction on the pitch as well as off it Рa Marc Li̬vremont-style revolution.

Problem is, Ireland does not have the deep well of players France does to plumb such talent from. One of O'Sullivan's gripes at the outset of this tournament – it turned out almost to be something of a parting shot – was that the slow trickle of foreign players into the Irish provinces was undermining the development of the national team, and it is true. Leinster has a very promising fly-half in the form of Jonathan Sexton, for example, but how often does he get the necessary game time ahead of Felipe Contempomi?

So something needs to be done, and it needs to be done collectively, with a new coach not afraid to call some tough shots, and with the unflinching assistance of all four provinces. For too long Ireland has ridden on the wave of this current team's success, but a slight lack of foresight to the succession is apparent at the moment. Whether this can be rectified or not will be the key as to whether Ireland tumble down the abyss or climb down elegantly – either way, a lean period looms on the Emerald Isle.

Star man: Eoin Reddan. A prime example of what can be achieved when a young player is given time to blend in and imprint his way of playing onto the team. He may not gel so well with O'Gara as Peter Stringer, but he offered a hell of a lot more on his own.