The long road back
But Costello was brooding. He wasn't looking back, he was looking forward, to a rugby World Cup just about to start in these islands, without his considerable presence in the green No 8 shirt.
Deeply unhappy.
Far from feeling fulfilled, proud of himself, there was a bad feeling gnawing at his guts. Twenty two caps? Should have been closer to 122. Anyone who had ever seen the big guy rumble knew that for all those fantastic achievements, there was a lot more potential left untapped.
All that power, freakish pace, big, soft hands ... promise unfulfilled.
In Lens, Irish rugby was about to hit its nadir, but at 29, Victor Costello wasn't good enough for the outfit that capitulated to Argentina.
Four years on, Ireland has re-established respect in world rugby, and central to the cause, one Victor Costello. 32 now, 33 in October for the RWC in Australia, he is in the form of his life, a central and commanding figure in Ireland's recent record run of unbroken wins, a record they will look to continue on Saturday at Lansdowne Road, against France. And he's loving it.
"Every second, every single thing about it, from sitting here doing this interview, to putting on the gear, meeting the guys in the team hotel, running onto Lansdowne Road. You try and prepare, give yourself every chance, to make it last."
He's 6'5", Victor Costello, 18 and a half stone, but the most overwhelming thing about him for this hour is his absolute sincerity, his heartfelt delight at being once more at the heart of the Irish rugby scene.
It's a delight tempered with reality, the reality that at any time, through injury, loss of form, whatever, it can all end. Three years in the wilderness (and it was his second time being dropped by Ireland) will do that for you. But still, there is something, a core that many people wondered about.
He could have quit when he was dropped, could have faded quietly into the night. Victor did the opposite.
"You have to believe, you always have to believe you'll get back in. My only option was to work hard with what I had, which was Leinster on Friday nights in the Heineken Cup, and I really enjoyed that. Munster had led the way, but then we started catching up, and I was really enjoying that, living for the Friday night."
The Heineken Cup gave Costello a platform, and how he grasped it. As Donnybrook became a fortress, the game-busting, ground-making, line-breaking, bullocking runs of Victor Costello became a featurette.
Leinster fans were always used to fabulous back play, and they were still getting that from a back-line of All-Stars, but this was new, this was the power-game, the muscle game: Munster macho but with Leinster power.
The problem for Costello however was that Anthony Foley was also playing at the height of his powers, for both Munster and Ireland, and even as Victor's form and profile with Leinster increased, opportunity seemed to be closing.
"I always hoped I'd get back on the Irish team, but I thought I'd just scrape a cap or two, getting in for an injury or something like that. I rated the back-row highly, Anthony Foley at No 8, never liked playing against him because he's such a good player, but I figured I might get in on an injury or something, maybe against Romania or one of the weaker nations."
That's the way it happened too, called in as a replacement against Romania, 10 minutes, but before he knew it, before the rest of the country knew it, big Victor was back, but in a new role.
For all that people talk of so many others, there is hardly a more cerebral coach in world rugby than Eddie O'Sullivan, no-one who pays more attention to detail. Lateral thinking is part of that genius, and O'Sullivan, along with co-selectors Declan Kidney and Brian O'Brien, took a leap of faith.
Not unprecedented, but significant nevertheless two great No 8's, why not one at 6, and let them inter-change during the game? First time it was tried was against the world champion Australians last November.
"When I was sitting there two years ago watching Ireland winning, you could never have told me that two years on I would be part of a winning Irish team against the World Champions, I wouldn't have believed you, not a chance. But to have been part of it, was incredible. Since then, I play every game like it's my last; prepare for it, but I'm enjoying every single moment of it all.
"Enjoying it for myself, for my family, playing with the guys around me, even times like this, talking to yourself, make the most of it all."
There is still pressure on Victor Costello, huge pressure. From nowhere-man four months ago to perennial man-of-the-match contender every time out now, he would be forgiven for thinking his position is assured.
"I'm well aware of Quinny (Alan Quinlan), and how good he is, I've played against him, I'm well aware of Eric (Miller). The competition in the back-row is tremendous, but in saying that, that's why it feels so good to be in there, to be ahead of guys of this calibre. I was behind, now I'm ahead, let's stay here, and make sure that whatever happens, you don't make a slip." Make them earn it, that's the philosophy, make them earn it, as he did himself.
HE could have made it as a field athlete, natural power and physique inherited from his father Patrick, also a national shot-putt champion and senior rugby international (one cap v France in Paris).
What he didn't have was the cheating mentality needed to make it to the top.
"I was never going to win the Olympics, not a hope, because I was never going to go on steroids; consequently I was just fighting a losing battle. But I got what I wanted, qualified at least, and I was very lucky to do so. I've known some fantastic athletes who never made it, who never got any kind of recognition, yet they were putting in enormous effort. Run well in a race, then get passed by the Chinese in the last lap, that kind of thing. And yet they keep going, keep at it against all those odds, year in, year out. It's kind of sad in a way."
For Victor Costello, it was always going to be rugby, all the way. He began as an amateur, was there from the start of the professional era, a year with London Irish in 95/96, he has paid his dues. Hard times, those early years, hard times all round, but he's seen and been part of the changes.
"I hated my time with London Irish, we used get our arses kicked every week by the likes of Harlequins, Wasps, Bath, Leicester, all of them. They were the bees-knees, and they were good, we had huge respect for them. Then Wasps came to Thomond Park in the Heineken Cup, and they were kicked out the gate.
"That was the start of it all, the start of this road Munster are still travelling on. It took a while for Leinster to reach the same level, but now we can beat Bristol home and away, beat Montferrand home and away, doing the things Munster have done in the last few years, and these other teams are taking note.
"These teams couldn't beat Munster, but we did, last year in the Celtic League final, and we take enormous pride in that. Not gloating, but out of respect, we knew the enormity of what we had achieved. Now Leinster are getting the kind of respect that we gave four or five years ago, and from the same teams we respected. I get an enormous amount of confidence from that."
The confidence is growing too within the national team, and it's one of the nicer stories in rugby that Victor Costello is also a major part of that. They might beat France, they might not, the French are a genuine world-class side while the Irish are still just getting there. But one way or the other, injuries permitting, he is determined to be in Australia this October, where the firm ground will suit his pacy, hard-hitting style.
He's not finished yet, another couple of good years left he reckons, but this time, when he goes, he wants to leave content, mark made, potential fulfilled. Then he'll throw up the feet on the porch of his new home down by St. John's Lough, on the Shannon/Erne waterway link, venture occasionally down the few steps to the shore, maybe go for a swim, or hop on the boat, a bit of water-skiing, meet a few of the many friends he's made down there. It's all something he's looking forward to, but not yet.
"There's nothing like going down the Shannon on a nice sunny day and meeting people. I have lots of good friends down there now, been going down there now for seven or eight years, and it's a very special part of my life. I think I'll end up spending a lot of time down there.
"But I love it even now, the lake, the swimming, it's great for loosening out. Okay you're stiff afterwards, using different muscles, but it's good for you. Rugby players take such hits these days some days I find myself next morning have to walk down the stairs backwards. The only problem is recovery for the next one. That's why I find the lake so important.
"Two weeks off in the summer, okay it tires you out, but it refreshes you also, loosens you out, and you can feel yourself getting hungry for the next tour, the pre-season training. The Irish team I played for three years ago was a losing team, the same with Leinster, but since then, they've been winning a lot of games. I hadn't experienced that, but I intend to enjoy it now."
Sometimes life IS what you make it.
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