Nothing much has changed since the end of the World Cup in France and the next attention will be on a Tri-Nations that contains too few teams to make it worthwhile viewing and Ireland's next attempt at a win over the All Blacks in November.

Time to take stock
At least the break in the meantime will give rugby analysts the chance to sit back and take stock. Ireland are eighth in the World Cup rankings.
If it was soccer rankings they would be lucky to be in the 20s zone, but then there is no comparison in participation numbers. We can feel positive and look at the top of the spectrum where New Zealand, for all of their World Cup failings, are still the most potent force in the game or return to our insular shell and compare ourselves to our Six Nations colleagues.
Let's start with the big boys.
The two tests in Wellington and in Melbourne provided a decent barometer of where we are and the result had its positive factors with two more heroic defeats and some outstanding performances mainly from Rob Kearney, Jamie Heaslip, David Wallace (v the Blacks), Paul O'Connell and Tommy Bowe. We scored tries in both games, had the momentum in the final ten minutes of each game, but never really looked like coming away with a victory in either. We have a team made up of good players, but a team far off the overall package.
Since the bulky pay-packet coincided with the arrival of the professional game on this island, endless hours have been spent on the training grounds. We have fitness coaches, skills coaches, forwards coaches, backs coaches, kicking coaches, scrum coaches, defence coaches, strength and conditioning coaches, directors of rugby, numerous physios and sports psychologists. The list goes on, but the results are not much different from the days when the Irish team would meet for the first time on a Thursday before an international and have a few lineouts in the car park. We may be competing better, but we are not chalking up the important victories.

Brighter prospects
Closer to home the prospects are slightly brighter.
The Six Nations will be interesting with Ireland under a new management, but relying again on an ageing backbone that continues to be threatened by osteoporosis.
The trump card is that we have both England and France in Croke Park, which is invariably a pointer to another serious attempt to breach the 61 one years since our last Grand Slam. The dwindling survivors from 1948 cannot wait forever for that elusive knees-up and this achievement will be Declan Kidney's goal for his first season in charge.
The three away games will offer stiffer opposition than usual with Wales' two performances in South Africa encouraging for Warren Gatland and Scotland's performance in Buenos Aires also creditable. Italy failed to score against South Africa in Newlands last weekend, but conceding only 26 points to the Springboks on their home patch was an achievement.

Recent appointments
Recent appointments by the IRFU are coupled with the emphasis on preparations for World Cup 2011.
A lot can happen in three seasons and with the IRB determined to make the game more attractive to the television viewing audience by providing faster, more flowing and fluent rugby, the emphasis will be on speedy ball carriers, less penalty awards, limited lineouts and bundles of quick-tap free kicks.
The popular term for these changes is ELVs which any decent rugbyite will know means 'experimental law variations' and which the IRB believe will revolutionise rugby on this planet.
The new laws are unlikely to benefit Ireland. Here we prefer the old traditional tactic of ball up the jumper, boot to touch to create the maul 22 metres out and use bulk and guile to drive over for the try. Simple, uncomplicated rugby that is not pretty to watch, but effective. The new laws will hamper that ploy.
Unfortunately for Ireland, we are too predictable. Despite his heroics in the southern hemisphere Brian O'Driscoll has lost his sparkle and that surprise element is missing from midfield. Shane Horgan resembles an overweight HGV that relies totally on its size and power, but he lacks the side-step and explosive pace from standing positions to create chances. Nine seasons after he first pulled on the senior green shirt of Ireland, we still pray at our bedside each night that Ronan O'Gara will remain injury-free.
David Knox's assessment that Dan Carter is the better all-round out-half has been proven over the past few weeks but that is irrelevant. There are at least ten Carters in Kiwi-land, but there is only one O'Gara in this country.
Jonathan Sexton appears to be the heir-apparent. but that is where the options stop.
Name ten players on this island who can step into the Ireland team this season?
Look through the squads of the A team that won the Plate last weekend in the Churchill Cup and the under-20s who took part in the IRB World Junior Championships.
Go through the names of those who play their rugby outside of this island, the players in the provincial squads and the development squads and the AIL clubs and compare them to those in the Six Nations and the Tri Nations.
That is when the reality of our lack of quality under the surface hits you.

Munster's profile
It looks as if Munster's massive profile on this side of the world is not sufficient to attract the big names of the southern hemisphere to these shores.
Toulon may not be one of the jewels of the French 14 League, but this location for the French naval base is beginning to resemble a honey pot for bees.
All Blacks flanker Jerry Collins was the latest to sign for newly-promoted Toulon last Friday. Munster were interested in landing the player, but Toulon's sugar daddy, president Mourad Boudjellal, who made his fortune out of comic strips, continues to splash out the big bucks. Also on the Toulon books are former Wallabies captain George Gregan, All Blacks Andrew Mehrtens and hooker Anton Oliver as well as current South African lock Victor Matfield. Dan Carter is also reported to be mesmerised by the carrot of fine weather and a healthy pay packet while Tana Umaga, who cost Toulon a reported €300,000 for the ten matches he played in 2006, will coach the side.
One wonders what Monsieur Boudjellal would pay for Munster's magic formula?