The calls for O’Sullivan’s removal have intensified following a poor RBS 6 Nations campaign that concluded with a 33-10 hammering by England at Twickenham.

The IRFU are reported to have scheduled a meeting this week that will bring down the curtain on his six-and-a-half-year reign as Ireland coach.

With a contract until 2011 in his pocket, O’Sullivan’s departure will not be cheap, but his paymasters at Lansdowne Road have no option but to dig deep.

Browne said: “The IRFU shares in the disappointment with the outcome of this year’s RBS Six Nations from an Irish perspective and will be undertaking a detailed review of our performance.

“Our objective in this, as always, will be to ensure the Irish team has in place the optimal structures to allow it to perform at the highest international levels in the future.”

Browne’s promise of a review will be met with glazed eyes by fans who, mindful of the post-World Cup Genesis report that failed to result in any changes so far, want decisive action.

When the IRFU choose to act appears the only doubt as Ireland’s World Cup, worst championship since 1999 and slide to eighth in the IRB rankings have rendered O’Sullivan’s position untenable.

But he has received public support from Rory Best and Andrew Trimble, two players whose Tests careers he started and nurtured.

“It has been a disappointing Six Nations campaign and Eddie is under fire,” Best told his BBC Online column.

“That is not surprising – he is an easy target to hit simply because he is the coach.

“But I believe Eddie prepared us very well for the England game. If you look closely at the video we were close to doing very well.

“I would like Eddie to stay on. I have a lot of respect for him as a coach. He has brought my game on a lot in the last two years.

“When I look at the player I am now, and think about where I was a couple of years ago, I owe him big time.

“The coach’s position did not put extra pressure on the team.”

Ulster centre Trimble has also backed O’Sullivan by claiming that the players and not management are to blame for the malaise.

“The players are behind Eddie 100%. Everyone’s criticising Eddie but it’s not his fault we dropped balls against England,” he said.

“We had the correct gameplan for England but whenever it looked like we were going to score a try or come close, we knocked the ball on.

“That’s the players’ fault and we should be taking the responsibility for what has been happening.”