RUGBY: The IRFU last night issued a statement at around 9.30pm following a verbal presentation of their review - assisted by Genesis - into Ireland's performance at the World Cup. Predictably, it shed little light on why Ireland under -performed so badly, instead assuming vague "collective" responsibility for the failure.

The survey, conducted by Genesis under the guidance of the union's World Cup Review Committee (comprising Neilly Jackson, the IRFU chief executive Philip Browne, the union president Der Healy and the recently appointed honorary treasurer, Tom Grace), was presented to the 22-man Executive Committee yesterday evening, aspects of it having been relayed to various 'stakeholders' earlier in the day.

Brian Porteous of Genesis was commissioned to conduct the review and interviewed the management staff, other key figures in the preparation of the team, and, in tandem with the Irish Rugby Union Players' Association, the Irish playing squad.

"The findings confirm that Management, Players and the IRFU alike accept that individually and collectively we underperformed at the World Cup and fell well short of our expectations and the expectations of our supporters."

As to why there was this 'collective' failure the "presentation identified that there was a complex mix of factors involved in Ireland's under-performance". Just as predictably, the first of these was the party line trotted out by coach Eddie O'Sullivan throughout and immediately after four lamentably under-par performances, namely that "they did not participate in a sufficient number of high intensity matches and thus they lacked the level of match practise required for them to perform to their optimal at the actual tournament."

The statement continues: "In relation to the players' reactions, which were sought through a confidential questionnaire in conjunction with IRUPA, together with one on one interviews, the report clearly found that personal issues or rifts did not exist or play any role in the underperformance of the team. While there were some individuals who had specific complaints, the squad members, as a unit, were constructive in their comments and identified areas in which the team management could be strengthened."

The Union's recommendations on foot of this report are to appoint a new, glorified team manager, or as the statement puts it, "the appointment of a person, with international rugby experience, as part of the management team, to play a support role for the national coach."

They have also vowed to appoint a new backs' coach, something O'Sullivan - who began his tenure with the Irish team back in 2001 as a backs' coach - has hitherto declined to do and a team psychologist, or as the statement puts it "the retention of a professional to provide ongoing psychological support for the team and management."

One imagines the players will need this more than the management and "the development of more effective lines of communication between all those involved in the squad - players, coaches, management and support staff."

The statement also talks of reviewing Ireland's "overall policy in relation to the professional game and an "action plan" to develop more players.

There will be no press conference, nor any publication of the report, and the IRUPA chief executive Niall Woods declined to comment as the Players' Association and the Union have signed a confidentiality clause. However, it is understood that the findings from the interviews with the players had not been fully collated prior to last night's presentation.

In short therefore, there is no individual culpability whatsoever and no reasons cited for Ireland's near failure to beat Georgia, never mind the emphatic defeats by France and Argentina, other than the lack of further preparatory matches.

Nor, needless to say, was there any examination of the motives or rationale in, uniquely in the global game, the decision to grant the head coach a further four years at the helm prior to the World Cup after six years and 70-plus matches already in charge. No doubt, they feel this report will dilute their embarrassment.

It is unlikely that such a cosmetic exercise will remotely assuage the disgruntlement of the estimated 40,000 fans who travelled to France, the hundreds of thousands who watched on television or even some of the disillusioned players who are understandably mindful of not biting the hand that feeds them.

The very fact that there is a need for a new manager and a new backs' coach is actually an indictment of the unfettered power which key IRFU officials granted to one individual and the resulting flaws in the structure. Two and a half months after the event, this is the best the union can come up with. They may as well have signed up Phil Collins or Peter Gabriel.

OPERATIONAL

- The appointment of a person, with international rugby experience, as part of the management team, to play a support role for the national coach.

- The appointment of a dedicated backs coach to further strengthen the management team.

- The retention of a professional to provide ongoing psychological support for the team and management.

- The development of more effective lines of communication between all those involved in the squad.

STRATEGIC

- Review Ireland's overall policy in relation to the professional game, clarifying the priorities and strategic goals as between the Provincial teams and the National team.

- The development of a performance model and specific action plan to build a far greater critical mass of international standard players competing for places in every position on the Irish Team.

- Identify routes to increase the opportunities for emerging players to perform competitively in an elite environment on a continuous basis.