Cullen: Quick turnaround will work for Ireland

Leo Cullen says Ireland’s shock World Cup loss to Japan will only damage them if the players allow it to do so.

Ireland went down 19-12 to the hosts in Shizuoka on Saturday morning, with Joey Carbery’s desperate kick to touch in the final minutes salvaging a losing bonus point after Joe Schmidt’s men were outplayed by the Brave Blossoms.

Two bonus point wins over Russia and Samoa could still be enough to top the Pool, and Leinster boss Cullen says Schmidt and his players will double their efforts ahead of a potential quarter-final against New Zealand or South Africa.

“Japan are in control of the group, because they’re unbeaten, but they have two tough games to go against Samoa and Scotland and anything can happen there,” he said.

“So you just have to park the disappointment. It’s perfect in many ways, well as perfect as you can get, having a game so quickly to get back out there again.

“It’s only damaging [psychologically] if you allow it to be. The fact they have a game so quickly is a very positive thing. In many ways, given what happened at the weekend, it’s the perfect way to turn things around — to get right back out and play.”

Cullen admits there will be doubts in the squad’s mind after the shock loss — but that too can be turned to a positive, he says.

“Doubts are there all the time — that’s a good thing as well. That’s the whole thing about performance, in terms of the mental preparation you have. The little bit of doubt and the confidence... and where that point meets to get the perfect performance.

“It just means you are going to do everything within your powers to prepare as well as you possibly can, to leave no stone unturned.

“I presume there will be a few changes, so guys will be getting an opportunity, which creates some proper competition for places.”

Cullen watched the game at the Leinster team hotel in Italy ahead of their PRO14 win over Benetton last weekend, and wonders if Ireland expected an easier day at the office after Japan’s nervy 30-10 win over Russia on matchday one.

“They looked very nervous, very edgy in the first game against Russia,” Cullen said.

“Maybe, that gave a bit of a false sense to some of our guys. I don’t know. I thought they started the game well with that 12-3 lead. Japan had one or two chances in that period as well, that grubber in behind that got away from the chaser.

“I thought Japan played incredibly well. The way the game unfolded, they stretched Ireland with the speed of ball Japan had versus what Ireland had.”

Meanwhile, Cullen says Leinster are “in the dark” over Jack Conan’s foot injury.

Conan was in the province’s UCD headquarters yesterday just two days after his World Cup was ended with a foot fracture sustained in training last week.

“He is literally back in the building 15 minutes ago,” Cullen said yesterday. “I just passed him in the corridor. It was strange seeing him to be honest. We will get him assessed, see the extent of what is going on there. We’re in the dark at this stage.”