Stephen Ferris believes Ireland have gone backwards after a disappointing Guinness Six Nations campaign.
Simon Easterby's side, winners in 2023 and 2024, finished third in the table following four wins and a dispiriting defeat to eventual winners France in round four.
Early victories over England and Scotland suggested Ireland had shaken off a poor Autumn Nations Series and set them on course for a Grand Slam.
However, they failed to take a bonus point from the nervy win over Wales or the heavy defeat to Les Bleus and finished off their season with a scrappy 22-17 success over Italy yesterday.
"I've got to say, they've regressed a little bit over the Six Nations," former Ulster and Ireland back row Ferris told RTÉ Sport.
"You expect them to get better, game in, game out, and they haven't.
"They really struggled [against Italy].
"Teams are putting it up to them, defensively getting into their faces. Their attack hasn't been functioning as well. Their kicking game, they're kicking a lot more.
"Are they a possession-based team? Are they moving more towards the Leinster style of kicking the ball more and trying to put pressure with their defence?
"I think they're in the middle ground somewhere and they've got to figure it out because international rugby won't be long coming around again."
Most of the Ireland regulars are tipped to travel with Andy Farrell’s Lions this summer, while those who don’t go to Australia are likely to play friendlies against Georgia and Portugal.
While former Ireland number 8 Jamie Heaslip didn’t agree that Ireland had gone backwards, he said standing still amounts to the same thing.
"I actually think they've plateaued," said Heaslip.
"They haven't gone forward, they haven't gone back.
"And that's dangerous in sport, because the minute you plateau, everyone else passes you out.
"France are not waiting for Ireland to catch up with them. They're going to keep ploughing on and I think that's the problem.
"We've done great work, we’ve embedded our academies, all that great system.
"That all paid off with a load of championships over the last five, 10 years and really good success, but it seems like it's plateauing.
"You've got an ageing core in the team, not just the three guys finishing up, but there's a big ageing core there.
"We need to bring a group of players through and we need to play to our strengths, not try and do a 6:2 [bench split] and be forced to play a different game."
Ireland have brought along younger players like Sam Prendergast, Jack Boyle, Thomas Clarkson, Cormac Izuchukwu and Gus McCarthy over the last four months, while some of the old guard moved on.
Yesterday’s game marked the end of the stellar international careers of Peter O’Mahony, Conor Murray, Cian Healy, while former captain Johnny Sexton retired in late 2023.
"We got to get more player depth, that's the key," said former Ireland hooker Bernard Jackman.
"If we find two or three more of those, along with the experience of Gus McCarthy, Jack Boyle, Sam Prendergast got this year, I think we'll be moving on.
"And then fix the things that are broken; our discipline has gone backwards.
"And our attacking game is very much off at the moment.
"So that's something that can be fixed on the field, but a little bit more talent coming through would make a big difference.
"[The Irish summer tour] won't be your litmus test, but it's a stepping stone.
"It's a stepping stone to be with that Irish squad to show that they have the ability.
"The main thing is to show the coaches that they think you can be a Test match animal.
"We need a few more of them."
Watch highlights of all the weekend's action on Against the Head, Monday, 8pm, RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player
