The
fall-out from the failure of the Irish rugby team to reach the
latter stages of the 2007 World Cup refuses to go away.
Much like the English Football Association are conducting a “root
and branch” analysis of their failure to reach the Euro 2008
Championships, the big wigs at the Irish RFU are also deciding that
they need to take a closer look at how Ireland failed to reach the
quarter-finals stages for the first time.
The IRFU have appointed an independent consultant to investigate Ireland's
calamitous World Cup, having set up a review group to oversee the process
with the IRFU Committee ready to act on the findings.
Brian Porteous of Genesis Consulting will lead the evaluation and has
been given permission to canvas the players for their views via questionnaires
and interviews.
Ireland head coach Eddie O'Sullivan will also be asked to give his
verdict on the nation's dismal group exit from the World Cup.
IRFU chief executive Philip Browne said: “We are committed to
making sure that this will be a very thorough procedure and we are
delighted that we have secured the services of Genesis to help us with
this process
“This review is designed to professionally and methodically assess
performance in all aspects of our preparation and participation in
the World Cup, and subsequently their failure to progress.
“It is also there to identify the lessons that can be learnt
for the future. Work has already begun on the review, which is expected
to take a matter of months to complete in order not to compromise the
integrity of the process and the benefits that it shall hopefully bring
future generations of players pulling on the famous green Ireland jersey.
The Irish are still reeling from their abysmal performance in the World
Cup's “group of death.”
They arrived in France with genuine ambitions of reaching the semi-finals
after impressive performances in the Six Nations over the four year
since the last World Cup in 2003, but instead finished third in their
pool, a whopping nine points behind winners Argentina.
Big name players such as Ronan O'Gara and Gordon D'Arcy failed to produce
as Ireland lurched from one disappointment to another on the pitch,
with some truly dismal performances along the way, including the game
against rugby minnows, Georgia.
But it was O'Sullivan's reputation that took the greatest battering
with the failure to inspire his misfiring players and refusal to make
major changes to the team attracting intense criticism.
Browne gave O'Sullivan his backing after the tournament and whatever
the finding of the review, he is likely to remain in charge for the
Six Nations. But it is hard to see the 48-year-old surviving if the
boys in green suffer a poor series of results over the Spring, including
the return of the Six Nations.
However, an IRB change to the 2011 World Cup format means there will
be 12 automatic qualifiers for 2011, rather than eight as has previously
been the case.
That means both Wales and Ireland are guaranteed their places in New
Zealand despite finishing third in their pools in France.
Tonga and Italy also join the automatic qualifiers, who include both
England and Scotland.
Meanwhile, the IRB is set for further discussions over plans to introduce
a so-called "world series" in an attempt to strengthen Test
rugby.
Under the plan matches between the Six Nations and Tri-Nations teams,
plus Argentina, would count towards an annual league ending in a Grand
Final.
It is one of two options, along with a 12-team competition taking place
over two years between World Cups, which came out of the IRB forum
on the game's future last month.
Meanwhile, Ireland Coach Eddie O'Sullivan is keen to put the World
Cup debacle behind him, when he was speaking to the media ahead of
his stint as the Barbarians coach when they took on South Africa at
Twickenham (due to the fact I'm writing this before the game due to
print deadlines, I've no idea who won. My guess, the Baa Baa's to win
21-10.)
“For Ireland, the World Cup was hugely disappointing. We failed
to produce anything that vaguely resembled our form during the season.
It has been a tough time trawling through everything that happened.
“That process has nearly come to an end and the Barbarians offers
me an opportunity to get back on the horse. Coaching the Barbarians
is a unique honour and it gives me the opportunity to work with some
hugely talented people,” said the Ireland coach.
“It's very different to coaching Six Nations or international
level. You just have to act as a conduit between these players - a
kind of facilitator. In many ways with the Barbarians less is more.”
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