A time for introspection after Japan make good on promises

Ireland won’t make any knee-jerk decisions following their shock World Cup defeat to Japan as the camp looks to quickly get their Pool A campaign back on track following the mother of all rugby upsets.

As the shockwaves shuddered back to Ireland from Shizuoka Stadium Ecopa over the weekend and a rugby nation wailed its discontent at the humbling of their team on the international stage, Joe Schmidt’s squad licked their wounds, climbed aboard a bullet train yesterday and headed west to Kobe to prepare in what little time they have for Thursday’s meeting with rank outsiders Russia.