Rhys Ruddock believes that the next five days will make or break Ireland's World Cup dream.
Ruddock was part of the bench brigade sent into the fray off the bench by Joe Schmidt in an attempt to transform a second half horror show against Japan, but change proved beyond anyone wearing green.
"Maybe they dealt with the occasion a bit better," said the Leinster flanker.
"It was a huge occasion for both sides and we’re just gutted that we let them have a special day that they wanted.
"We really wanted to make our set of fans who turned up proud, and I think we left a little bit out there."
Ruddock is one of those who was on the 2017 summer tour in Japan, when Ireland were the dominant force. The tables were completely turned here after the first quarter.
So what's next? "We can’t really change the result today and that feeling of disappointment is not going to go away," said Ruddock, who may captain Ireland against Russia if, as expected, Rory Best is rested after two consecutive starts.
"But there’s still a lot to play for and the strength of the group will be determined by the way that we bounce back.
"We’ve already spoken about that. We’re going to be tested now as a group, as a collective, in terms of what we’re about.
"So everything we do between now and five days time against Russia will add up to a performance that will either make us or break us".
Japan had confidently promised that they would treat this clash as their World Cup final, and so it proved.
A shaky opening performance against minnows Russia was put down to the pressure of being hosts by their head coach, Jamie Joseph.
But no-one outside of his Brave Blossoms camp expected what happened next, despite the fact that all week Japan outlined what they would do - go high and low in double tackling Irish ball carriers, and beat their defence on the outside.
And so it proved. But then it was felt that Ireland, having beaten assumed main pool rivals Scotland in Yokohama last Saturday, were going to comfortably ease themselves into a quarter-final against South Africa.
The commentary didn't go unnoticed by former Dublin resident Luke Thompson and his Japan team-mates.
"Everyone had written us off," he said.
"All the Irish media were talking about South Africa and how they are going to play them in the quarter-finals, and what they have to do.
"So we know what we have to do. It's a very special moment".
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