'It was the worst I'd ever felt in my life'- Billy Burns opens up on missed Cardiff kick 

Ireland's Billy Burns is consoled after the Guinness Six Nations match at Principality Stadium, Cardiff. 

Billy Burns has revealed the fallout of his missed kick in the closing stages of Ireland's Six Nations defeat to Wales was "the worst I have ever felt in my life."

With 14-man Ireland chasing their hosts (21-16), Burns had the chance to set his side up for an injury-time five-metre lineout and a possible try but his penalty to touch was too long and went dead over the in-goal area. The final whistle sounded seconds after.

Burns endured horrendous social media abuse in the aftermath and has today spoken about the impact the miss has had on him.

"I'll be honest it was tough, the first couple of weeks after that mistake I really struggled," Burns told BBC Radio Foyle.

"As soon as that moment happened, it was the worst I'd ever felt in my life - the world had just fallen apart and everything just caved in on me.

"I got into the changing room afterward and you can see the disappointment in other people and you know you've had a massive part (in it). If that kick goes into the corner, we're potentially driving over and I'm potentially kicking the winning kick to win in Cardiff, and it's probably one of the best Ireland results in a long time considering we're down to 14 men."

And if he was presented with the scenario again: "All I want, if I could pay right now I'd be back in that moment in exactly the same situation and I'd have that kick again, I'd go for it again."

The Ulster fly-half told BBC Radio Foyle: "It's one of those, I made a decision. I could either let it burn and kill me and go into my shell, or I could use it as a real driving force," he said. "I think that's the beauty of the mistake: it was me. It was me, a rugby ball, and I missed the line. Nobody else's fault; perfect night, great conditions. Nobody else to blame, nothing else could have changed, it was all on me. For that one moment, something that I've done hundreds of thousands of times didn't go well for me.

"I know I have had a lot of flack in the media, I know I'd love to say it doesn't bother me but I'd be lying.  I obviously want people to look at me and think I'm a good player and that I deserve to be where I was."

And he vowed to turn the negatives into a positive: "I'm going to use that mistake to make me a better player. It's my mistake, I made the error, I know exactly what I did. I've found out the most about myself in the last four or five months than I've probably ever found out about myself in my whole rugby career."