Hard lessons learned in this year's Six Nations can make Ireland better than they were over a stellar 2018.
Ahead of today's warm-up clash with England, Rory Best is dismissive of fears that Ireland's high point came in a year when New Zealand were beaten and a Grand Slam was collected.
Ireland rolled into this year looking to defend their title but their campaign was bookended by deserved defeats to England and Wales.
"We got a lot of things wrong along the way," admitted Best. "But we can’t keep going back to ‘we need to be like 2018’.
"We tried to be better in the Six Nations. We’ve got to make sure we’re better than we were then. We need to be.
"But there is a hunger to be better."
Best reflects that Ireland may have got things wrong in their Six Nations preparations in Portugal last January.
"The coaches were pushing us but as players we felt a bit tired," he revealed. "The way England came at us, we got caught a little bit short in our preparation, which is very unlike us.
"We missed our little windows - we were neither on nor off the whole time. The great thing about this group is when we’re on, we’re on and when we have time to be off and enjoy each other’s company, we switch off.
"We got that mix a little bit wrong in the Six Nations."
But Best sensed a "real hunger" when the players returned for the start of their pre-season work leading up to now.
"That came about by nobody being really happy with the way we left the Six Nations," explained the Ulsterman. "We turned the page very quickly."
He shrugs off concerns that Ireland could suffer a repeat of the 2007 World Cup fiasco when Eddie O'Sullivan's side were gone after the pool stages.
"People that were there will love to go back and reference it because it’s a reference point for them, and it makes them feel a bit more part of a World Cup," Best said pointedly.
He believes that there is a real confidence among the playing group because of the depth of quality available to Joe Schmidt and the selection headaches presented to the head coach.
"It’s been so hard to narrow down," remarked Best. "I’d say Joe was looking to come away with maybe less than 40 players, but boys have trained well and put their hand up and made it difficult for him.
"That’s the mark of a great side, it’s not the over-reliance on one or two players.
"It’s not that long ago, 12 months ago, we were being talked about as the best Irish team there ever was and one of the best teams in the world.
"A few other teams have come to the party now, the way Wales and England have been over the past 12 months.
"That’s fine, we're in a really good place but we’ll know better after Twickenham where we are.
"Ultimately it's about making sure we’re right for September 22, but you’ve got to make sure you start well and take your chance when it’s given to you."
Best turned 37 during Ireland's Algarve training camp over the last week and got to celebrate with a barbecue and a few beers.
"One of my challenges was to show I was still physically capable of being here, and I came through everything," he said.
"You can do all the running and everything but until you have a white jersey coming at you and not letting you through, that’s when you see where you’re at. But I feel good.
"I struggled a bit at the end of last season just with ‘last home’, ‘last this’, ‘last the other’. It’s not me, I don’t like to be emotionally up and down.
"That’s something I’m focusing on now. This is a chance now for us to put our hand up.
"There are four hookers vying for probably three spots going to Japan. It’s my opportunity to show that I’m capable of being there.
"Whenever the final whistle comes on the final game, whenever that might be, I’ll worry about that then".
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