Killer Wales shouldn’t obscure a forward step

IT is unlikely many Irish fans are looking to the future with the World Cup heartache so fresh in their minds.

The manner of the defeat by the Welsh has left everyone deflated and the postmortems will continue for a long time.

However it is crucial to consider what lies in store for Declan Kidney and his team as they regroup for the 2011 RBS Six Nations. The biggest issue for Kidney as he reviews the season must be to examine why his team, even on their best days, lacked a serious cutting edge. The display against the USA is a case in point while they failed to touch down against Australia, the only complaint in what was an otherwise outstanding performance. Yes, the Italian game yielded three touchdowns but the Azzurri were a spent force well before the finish while the lack of creation and inventiveness cost us dearly against the Welsh.