Eddie is a coach with many skills.

His organisational abilities, attention to detail and work ethic are second to none. However, he is missing the magic ingredient that separates champions from merely good players . . . a vision for the team.

A coach is like a film director. It is up to him to take the raw materials of a team . . . the talents and experience of the boys heading onto the field . . . and he must inspire them with his vision of what they can become. The team that went to France had all the ingredients to go far, but the debacle that ensued on the pitch was proof that they didn't know what they were supposed to be collectively striving for.

This is because Eddie O'Sullivan doesn't approach rugby as a creative endeavour where the inspiration of a coach can transform a group of disparately good players into a cohesive world champion team.

As in all fickle situations, whether it be coaching or playing, luck plays a vital role and Eddie's seems to have run out. He will stay put for the immediate future but negativity is like a runaway train and nearly impossible to stop. Eddie is living on borrowed time, he will suffer . . . as they say in the business . . . death by a thousand cuts.

It's only a matter of when.

So where should we go from here? The IRFU need to take this World Cup disappointment as an opportunity to take a long hard look at their plans for the future of Irish rugby. If that means a change of personnel for the betterment of Irish Rugby, so be it.

The Autumn Test Series must be used to develop new players and that work must start during the preceding Six Nations. Whoever carries Ireland's hopes into the future must undertake to develop at least 26 players to a good test-match level. It's nonsense to say that we don't have the talent . . . players must be given a fair chance and the rugby public must be patient.

There must be a policy of "No mortgage on an Irish Shirt" and this must be instilled into the players by creating serious competition for every position. Players of real potential . . .

Bob Casey, Leo Cullen, Alan Quinlan and Geordan Murphy, for example . . . must not be isolated from the system.

They should not have to squander their playing careers in club rugby alone.

Young players like Shane Jennings, Jamie Heaslip and Luke Fitzgerald would repay game-time in the test arena in spades. Opportunity to develop incoming talent such as Brian Carney (below) must be seized. The closed shop of the Irish rugby team must be open and made fair to all.

Graham Henry was chastised in New Zealand for "Devaluing" the black jersey by giving fringe players a run to develop a genuine 30-man test squad. If he wins the world cup all will be forgiven. Ireland must adopt this strategy for a smaller playing population but I don't believe it will happen as long as one man has total control over the situation.

There is so much scope for improvement. On the pitch the team must have an injection of fresh ideas suited to the playing strengths of Irish rugby. Although systems are essential we must get away from a totally structured setup and encourage creativity and freedom of expression. The Irish team have good footballers and this approach would get the best out of them.

The set-piece platforms also require an overhaul. We are not the biggest pack in the world so we need a more cunning scrum and this means new variations in scrummaging. Continuity skills need work but this is as much motivational as repetition. Off the pitch the provinces and the IRFU must pull together and strive for the same common goal.

This has not always been the case. With a large land mass in Tallaght why doesn't the IRFU build first-class facilities to develop rugby in areas of low playing density and expand the overall pool of players?

Hopefully something can be taken from the current crisis. It can act as a catalyst to take some real action. It will take intelligence and forward thinking and this is not without its risks. Our only other choice is to wallow in the loop of mediocrity.

In the meantime Irish rugby says goodbye to Denis Hickie . . . one of its finest servants in the professional era, certainly the best finisher and all-round athlete I have taken to the field with. We wish him well.