Eddie O'Sullivan admits Ireland are doomed to an early World Cup exit unless they address the appalling slump that reached rock bottom with a 14-10 win over Georgia.

A week ago O'Sullivan remarked on his side's deflating 32-17 victory over Namibia that it was impossible to imagine the team's malaise could deteriorate any further.

But he was proved emphatically wrong as Georgia, playing their second game in five days, went within inches of producing probably the greatest upset in rugby history.

Only late intervention by Denis Leamy, who denied prop David Khinchagashvili over the line two minutes from time, denied the magnificent Georgians.

Georgia are ranked 17th in the world and have never won a World Cup match.

Ireland spent the final minutes of a gripping and tense contest desperately trying to prevent one of the nation's most humiliating defeats in any sport.

France will be relishing the chance to put one foot into the quarter-finals when they meet the Irish on Friday and O'Sullivan said: ''Our current form suggests we'll find it very hard to get out of the pool.

''I wish I could tell you why we're not firing on all cylinders because it's very frustrating."