Defeat in Rome surely signalled the end of the Kidney era

That dastardly 2013 Six Nations just won't go away. Even in the fall-out from what was an Irish horror show, yesterday’s various missives contained only more bad news, with an ever-worsening casualty list and Brian O’Driscoll’s citing hitting Leinster especially, while confirmation of Ireland’s lowest ebb since the Six Nations started came with their lowest world ranking (ninth) of all time. Ye Gods, can it get any worse?

Well, yes, possibly. It’s unlikely the IRFU powerbrokers have a succession plan in place. Ideally they would have wanted the current coaching ticket to remain in situ en bloc until the next World Cup, but that clearly cannot happen now.

For all the cursed ill-luck which has been heaped upon Ireland, last Saturday in Rome felt like the end of an era and a rebuilt squad could do with new ideas and new energy. This has been a bad tournament for virtually all of the coaching ticket, the one exception being Anthony Foley, given he was only co-opted from Munster and Ireland conceded only five tries, eclipsed only by Wales, who didn’t leak another try after O’Driscoll’s 45th minute effort in the opening game.

Following on from the decision to haul Paddy Wallace off a Portuguese beach for the third Test last summer, to retaining Jamie Heaslip as captain and his choices at outhalf have conspired to give Declan Kidney’s growing list of critics ample ammunition. The cruellest blow was losing their most important player, Jonny Sexton, half an hour into the second game, but despite an uplifting autumn, ultimately Kidney has presided over four wins in Ireland’s last 16 Tests.

Under pressure
But Gert Smal, Greg Feek, Mark Tainton and even the popular Les Kiss have also been tarred by this campaign. The lineouts were an Achilles heel, the scrum was under pressure, the breakdown work was patchy and the kicking game was profligate.

But which of the realistic candidates to succeed Ireland’s most decorated head coach would necessarily be better or take the team forward? Joe Schmidt, as someone who has worked within the system and is highly regarded by the Leinster players, is the obvious choice, but would he be of a mind to take it?

Despite these straitened times, the IRFU might need to break the bank for someone like Jake White, who has worked wonders with the Brumbies, or Ewan McKenzie, who has stated a desire to leave the Reds at the end of the Super 15.

Admittedly, with expectations now reduced it mightn’t be the worst time to become head coach, but in terms of a World Cup cycle Ireland are lagging behind Wales and England, and even Italy have progressed.

Slightly ominous
And aside from an era ending, another slightly ominous point which Irish rugby has to swallow is the size differential. Ireland were at their best when freshest but dipping ever deeper into shallow resources, ala Twickenham last year, the World Cup in New Zealand, the third Test in New Zealand and now this year’s Six Nations, Ireland have finished campaigns badly. Mirroring this has been the inability to see out 80 minutes.