Flannery backs coach O'Sullivan

Jerry Flannery during Ireland's defeat by France on Friday

Jerry Flannery has backed under-fire coach Eddie O'Sullivan by blaming the players for Ireland's dismal World Cup performances in France.

Ireland's group campaign looks set to limp to a pitiful conclusion against Argentina next Sunday.

However, Flannery has said that the criticism of O'Sullivan is "unfair" and rubbished speculation that there is unrest in the camp.

"I don't see how he can be singled out so much," said the Munster hooker.

The inexplicable decline of a team that had pretensions of reaching the semi-finals has cranked up the pressure on O'Sullivan.

Just last month he was celebrating a four-year contract extension, but the pre-tournament timing of the new deal has provided his growing band of critics with more ammunition.

However, Flannery says the players are responsible for Ireland's remarkable descent from Six Nations runners-up to World Cup gloom.

"Eddie isn't coaching us to drop the ball. If we go out and drop the ball it's our fault. It's the same in any rugby side.

This idea that we're all bickering is not true Jerry Flannery

"A coach prepares the team as best he can and then they go out on the field and do it."

Ireland's tournament has been undermined by a breathtaking array of rumours, many bordering on the absurd.

The greatest controversy has surrounded Ronan O'Gara, who rejected allegations of marital and gambling problems in the aftermath of Friday's 25-3 defeat by France.

Speculation over rifts, in-house fighting and simmering tension has also intensified, but Flannery gave such talk short shrift on Sunday.

"To say the mood is disillusionment is wrong. We're not where we want to be at the moment so people are disappointed," he said.

"We've been together so long and we're not falling out with each other.

"Everyone's still getting on well. If you're in a winning side, everyone's happy because everything's going great.

"But when you're losing everyone's a little bit down. This idea that we're all bickering genuinely is not true.

There's not two ways about it - we haven't performed at the World Cup Jerry Flannery

"I heard stuff that we're always fighting in training, people are walking out of the camp and loads of other stuff. I don't know where it's coming from."

However, Flannery has acknowledged that Ireland's dismal performances have fed the rumour mill.

"There's not two ways about it - we haven't performed at the World Cup.

"People are obviously thinking, 'something must be going on over there'.

"People are looking for a reason for it. It'd be very easy if there was one but there isn't. We just haven't performed.

"Off the pitch isn't a problem. We've been our own worst enemy with the amount of silly mistakes we're making. That's what has cost us on the field."

To progress to the quarter-finals, Ireland require a bonus-point victory at the Parc des Princes on Sunday and must defeat Argentina by more than seven points.

However, it appears mission impossible, especially in light of the Pumas' hugely impressive 63-3 demolition of Namibia on Saturday night.