Depressing level of inadequacy

Time for accountability; no recourse to learning curves, to moral victories, to mitigating circumstances just the grim, depressing revelation of inadequacy. Last night's debacle in Lens when Ireland became the only seeded country not to make the Rugby World Cup quarterfinals should mark the death knell for the present regime.

In three previous World Cups, Ireland have managed to secure a passage to the quarter-finals. Granted a favourable draw, the current side could not even manage that tired benchmark. There can be no excuses as Argentina proved worthy winners on the night.

It was excruciating to witness the national side shuffle towards oblivion. Only when threatened with the shocking reality of defeat did Ireland muster the requisite commitment and urgency - but that was born of desperation.

Argentina played with greater fluency and flair, brought imagination and steel in equal measure. Their vision owed more to the modern game. It seems risible that Argentina pride themselves on a largely amateur ethos while Ireland chant the mantra of professionalism.

Money cannot buy success nor even respectability. This was, allegedly, our best prepared national team. Failure will hurt the players and so it should.

For many rugby supporters, the overwhelming feeling last night was one of anger, a feeling of betrayal. Ireland once again flattered to deceive. History is littered with Irish rugby failures, but none have been upholstered with quite the same expectation. Toleration levels have diminished with each passing year of professionalism - not so much Ireland expects as Ireland demands.

How far have Ireland progressed? The bare statistics suggest that in evolutionary terms, Irish rugby is still on first-name terms with Charles Darwin. It was painful watching Ireland trying to break down the door in the agonising closing minutes as, lemming-like, they threw themselves into the Argentinean barrier with neither the composure nor the bottle to prevail.

The players must take responsibility but one must also question the future of coach Warren Gatland. It would be churlish to ignore the improvement in organisation that he has brought about but one can also question the development of the national side in that period.

Difficult to beat, resilient, gritty without actually producing much in the way of pro-active rugby. If Gatland was to resign tomorrow what would his legacy be? How much further down the road are Ireland? They have barely passed the first bend.

The IRFU now has an obligation to act responsibly and quickly. The union must decide whether Gatland is the man to oversee the development of Irish rugby. A contract is not worth the piece of paper on which it is written if it merely serves to protect.

It is a time for honesty, not scapegoats, time to speak with candour and address the real issues, time to re-examine the structure of the management team and the support they have received, real or perceived.

If Gatland has problems then now is the time to express his opinion.

When the dust settles, Ireland must be ready to embrace the modern rugby era. Irish rugby will otherwise be stuck in a permanent eclipse, cherishing even a false dawn.