THE Irish supporters went to Lansdowne Road last Saturday with hope that they would witness some distinct and positive signs of progress for Irish rugby in the international arena. What they got can accurately be described as yet another abysmal performance that lacked character, intelligence, application and spirit from a bunch of over-paid under-achievers. And all this against Italy, a nation still no more than on the fringes of European rugby power.

The Italians came hoping that they could give a performance that would enhance their prospects of admission to the big league. On a bitterly cold afternoon, the Italians did not only do that, but defeated Ireland by 37 points to 29 and scored four tries to Ireland's one. In doing so, they gave the hitherto barred and bolted entrance door to the Five Nations Championship a loud ring.

In scoring 37 points, they recorded a total never attained by any of the other countries in the Five Nations' Championship at Lansdowne Road. That is a damning statistic. Ireland's defensive weakness was exposed against a side of moderate range, by comparison with the major nations. It was, however, a side with infinitely greater vision and character than Ireland.

Whither Ireland now? Another match against a so-called minor rugby nation, a country that has never beaten any of the big powers in the game, and another defeat to add to the humiliation endured against Western Samoa in October.

A new year, but from Ireland a display that did no more than give a graphic illustration of old failings - allied to a few new ones. A performance that merely compounded anxieties that, as we approach a new millennium, Irish rugby is on a spiral of descent.

There is not a single mitigating factor one can put forward for this Ireland side. They went into the match following winter heat training in the Algarve, training designed, allegedly, by "experts", with tactics, if one can be so bold as to so describe them, devised and supervised by a New Zealand coaching duo.

The Italians went into the game after being snow bound for a week in South Wales - what greater hardship can be inflicted on a team - where they were unable to play their two scheduled warm-up matches.

This Ireland side did not just have a modest range of penetration, it had none. It was not tactically inept, it was tactically bereft.

The fire no longer burns with the required intensity in Irish hearts. Their best efforts it seems are at the negotiating table. If they keep on the current path, very few of them will have much about which to negotiate.

Ireland won a monopoly of line-out possession but were manifestly incapable of capitalising on it. Were it not for the accurate place kicking of Paul Burke, Ireland would have suffered a defeat of much more humiliating proportions.

Burke kicked eight penalties, an all-time record for an Ireland player in an international, and his total of 24 points was also an individual record, heating the 23 points scored by Ralph Keyes against Zimbabwe in 1991.

The defensive frailties so cruelly exposed by the Samoans were again in evidence.The Italians exposed them in scoring their tries and when they were near the Irish line, they carried a menace and conviction where Ireland displayed pathetic naively. Even when Ireland had a chance to win the game in the closing stages and trailed by only a point, a great attacking position was wasted by hopeful frenzied plunges.

In contrast, the Italians got two similar chances and scored tries from both. Even when Ireland twice built a six-points lead in the second half, they could not protect it.

What adds to one's sense of annoyance and sheer frustration is that the Irish were, or certainly should have been, aware of exactly the type of game Italy would play. They do not have the forward power, height or weight to play any other type of game. A seat by the fire and a bit of concentration of mind might have reaped greater benefits than the Portuguese winter frolic.

Had the Italians won more of the ball, the defeat would have been of much greater proportion. But despite being penalised at a ratio of almost three to one, Ireland got 19 penalties to Italy's seven. Yielding so much possession, the Italians' wit and reactions were infinitely more acute. And they also had, in scrum half Alessandro Troncon and his partner Diego Dominguez, two excellent players in a key area who made the very best use of what came their way.

Dominguez, in particular, had a golden afternoon. Not only did he score 22 points, but his general contribution was immense. The swift neatness of the Italian backs and their ability to use space was in contrast to the inept, stagnated nature of Ireland's three-quarter line.

Full back Conor O'Shea made a few very good runs and had the ability to break a tackle, but it all came to nothing. Stephen McIvor took too much on himself and his judgement and, at times, kicking were faulty. Burke's contribution was making his excellent place kicking, which enabled Ireland to lead 18-17 at the interval after Burke had kicked six penalty goals.

By then, the Italians had scored two tries - the first after six minutes, when their new cap in the centre, Alessandro Stoica, tore the Ireland midfield defence apart as he swept past Mark McCall. Italy won the ensuing ruck and the ball was swept wide with number eight Orazio Arancio giving Paola Vaccari the scoring pass. Dominguez converted and Italy led 7-3.

Worse was to follow. Italy won a line-out on the right, charged forward and had Ireland hanging, on near their line before Troncon got the ball and passed it to team captain Marcello Cuttitta who scored by the posts. Dominguez again converted and Italy were in front 14-6 after Burke had kicked a second penalty.

He and Dominguez exchanged penalties to leave it at 17-9 to Italy. Then Burke landed three more penalties to give Ireland an 18-17 interval lead.

Burke's kicking was Ireland's only scoring weapon, there was no attacking power in the Irish three-quarter line. Jeremy Davidson who won some excellent line-out ball and was one of the few Irish forwards to emerge with any credit, had won a great line-out on the Italian line, but Ireland could not capitalise. New cap Eric Miller had made a good start, but he sustained an ankle injury early on and had to leave the field after 32 minutes.

Dominguez kicked a penalty to put Italy back in front just after the interval before Burke kicked his seventh goal. Then in the 51st minute, Ireland got a try in fortunate circumstances. O'Shea kicked down the left touchline and Dominic Crotty was up to kick the ball on as the Italians scrambled back in defence. Crotty did well to control the ball and Jonathan Bell dived on it over the line. Burke failed to convert, but Ireland led 26-20.

Far from offering inspiration to the Irish side, the old failings were all still there. Dominguez cut the deficit with a penalty, Burke added his eighth for Ireland, and so a six-points lead was restored.

That score came in the 57th minute, and Ireland did not score again. Italy did with two tries. The first came in the 62nd minute when after a vigorous assault on the Irish line, the Italians were held out with difficulty. But then Troncon moved the ball to Dominguez, who stepped inside the Irish defence and fed Vaccari. He came inside to take the pass for his second try. Dominguez converted and Italy were 30-29 ahead.

Ireland got a golden chance to score a try after, first, a line-out and, then, a scrum near the Italian line, but failed to breach the defence. They pushed the Italians back at a scrum but McIvor was penalised. The ball, in fact, had been fed wide and Italy might have scored had not the referee previously indicated the penalty.

Another try came in the 79th minute. Burke tried a quick tap drop out from the Ireland "25" after Dominguez had been wide with a dropped goal attempt. Stoica was in to foil Burke and gather. He passed to replacement wing Mazzucato and his outside pass was flicked on by hooker Carlo Orlandi to Dominguez who scored in the corner and kicked the conversion.

The Italians' jubilation was unbounded, Ireland's dejection compounded by another shambles from players who if aware of their responsibilities, have singularly failed to discharge them.