Who else has played his last game?

Edmund Van Esbeck: When Peter Clohessy left the field at Stade de France last Saturday - shortly before the end of the match against France - it heralded the end of his international career. It was an unfortunate way to end, for, by the time of his departure, Ireland were well beaten and the only issue left was by what margin France would win.

But, as we reflect on that 44-5 defeat - the margin and manner of it - and of the displays against England, Scotland and Italy, it is reasonable to ask if this was also the last match in the Ireland jersey for a few other members of the current team.

Sitting in a group of hundreds of Ireland supporters at Stade de France last Saturday was an interesting experience. Ever faithful to the Irish cause, before the match they were full of enthusiasm and hope. Even as events unfolded, they were ready and willing to support the cause.

But it was, alas, a lost cause by the interval. And yet every positive thing that Ireland did was still applauded. But the post-mortem had started before the final whistle. The comments came thick and fast, not all by any means objective - acute disappointment can at times see objectivity go out the door. The name Warren Gatland was mentioned a few times; so, too, that of his successor as coach, Eddie O'Sullivan. That was to be expected.

The current French side is a good one, but I would be reluctant to say a great side, time will provide the answer to that. But Bernard Laporte, their coach, has done a very good job in rebuilding the team. What has gone wrong with Ireland, a question many Irish supporters were asking?

Easy answers do not readily present themselves. One thing that has gone badly wrong since the win over Wales, which provided such a bright start to O'Sullivan's coaching tenure, has been the decline in the play of the Irish forwards.

Last Saturday was a bad day for O'Sullivan and his coaching team. It was also a very bad day for Ireland as a team and for several individuals. Coaches must have the talent at their disposal to build a formidable team. It is when they fail to maximise that talent that they fail.

O'Sullivan has been in the job only three and a half months, offering comparisons between Gatland and O'Sullivan is now an exercise in futility. Gatland had some very good days, notably wins in Paris and against England last October, and some bad ones. Inevitably and understandably, however, comparisons will be made after what happened last Saturday and in recent weeks.

Coaching national teams is a hazardous occupation, as I have stated very often before. Gatland went from Ireland, Graham Henry is gone from Wales, France had their problems before Laporte arrived on the scene, Brad Johnstone looks as if he is coming to the end of his tenure with Italy and even Clive Woodward had calls for his head when England lost to Ireland in October and again when England lost to France some weeks ago.

However, coaches are now full-time professionals and the old adage holds true, you take the gain when you win and take the blame when you lose. But so too are players, and professionalism is not just about being paid, it is about commitment, attitude, thinking and playing like professionals.

O'Sullivan and his coaching and management team must now do some hard thinking and no doubt make some hard decisions. Much of the thought will be centred on the front five. The lineout was a shambles against Scotland, poor against Italy and not exactly adequate against France. The scrummaging, too, has been a problem area and the big Italian pack demonstrated that.

Peter Clohessy is now gone, assuredly so too Mick Galwey. The Irish pack this season was well endowed with experience - indeed the only new cap brought into it was Paul O'Connell, surely one for the future, while Keith Gleeson came on as a replacement. In fact, O'Connell played only a limited part in his first cap against Wales and another appearance as a replacement.

Ireland beat a very moderate Scotland team readily enough and beat Italy without too much trouble. But, in both matches, the play of the Irish forwards was a cause for anxiety. The Welsh are limited, yet Ireland played well that afternoon and there was a zest and hunger in the play of the forwards we have not subsequently seen.

There has been a tired look about the Irish pack since the match against England. Ireland got away with deficiencies against Scotland and Italy, not so against England and France.

The English players have played as much rugby as Ireland, but I think there has also been a tired look about England of late. The Irish forwards seem to be tired mentally and physically. What was also evident is that Italy, Wales and Scotland, for all their deficiencies, gave France much sterner tests than Ireland managed last Saturday. And how significant is it that the overall standard in the Six Nations this season has not been high.

There is too much representative rugby, and that view has been regularly expressed by coaches. But that is the way it is in the game right now and players must live with it.

In the interim, the Irish pack needs a radical overhaul. How drastic the remedial action will be we must wait and see. But remedial action there must be. Next up is a tour to New Zealand; now that will provide an examination.

There is one other point that cannot have escaped O'Sullivan's attention and that is the fact that some experienced players, not burdened by age, have not delivered of late. And how significant was it that Keith Wood - out for almost three months - had a level of energy his colleagues could not match last Saturday.

Interesting days lie ahead.