Donal Lenihan: The great Irish rugby plan needs to change. And fast.

Ireland's Conor Murray and Peter O'Mahony dejected after the World Cup defeat to hosts Japan. This game in the pool stage of the tournament was a low point from which Ireland have struggled to recover, argues Donal Lenihan. Picture: INPHO/Jayne Russell

As a barometer of how quickly things change in professional rugby, events over a seven-day period between April 30 and May 6 highlighted a worrying trend for Irish rugby.

First out of the blocks, Ulster meekly surrendered a 17-6 half-time lead in their Challenge Cup semi-final defeat to Leicester, having been totally dominant to that point. The Tigers, sixth in the Premiership, are nowhere near the side that once dominated English and European rugby.