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Rugby Union

IRFU blames collective failure

18/12/2007

The Irish Rugby Football Union (IRFU) has blamed a "complex mix of factors" and collective failure for their poor 2007 Rugby World Cup campaign.

Ireland endured a disappointing tournament, despite entering as some people's dark horses for the final.

They lost both high-profile pool matches against France and Argentina and only narrowly beat minnows Namibia and Georgia in their opening two fixtures, meaning they crashed out of the competition at the first hurdle.

The degree of failure was met with disbelief and anger at home, prompting the IRFU to launch a wide-ranging review to determine the reasons for the team's failure to make any sort of impression.

IRFU chief executive Philip Browne said the findings of the investigative committee were reached after "extensive consultation" with players, coaches, management and support staff and "detailed reviews of key technical areas including fitness and conditioning and mental and psychological preparation".

"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," Browne said.

"The onus is on us to learn from the experience and take corrective action to ensure we are competitive and successful at the highest international levels.

"This presentation identified that there was a complex mix of factors involved in Ireland's under-performance at Rugby World Cup 2007."

Browne admitted the IRFU made mistakes by under-playing key players before the tournament to protect them from injury, meaning they were poorly prepared.

However he rejected the assertions of several critics and claimed personal 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," Browne added.

In response to the findings the IRFU has announced a number of changes that will be made, including the appointment of an assistant to support head coach Eddie O'Sullivan, a dedicated backs coach and full-time professional psychological support for the players and coaching staff.

However Browne admitted several of the changes to be implemented would not take effect before the 2008 Six Nations tournament.