Garry Ringrose feels responsible for Tadhg Beirne's Rugby World Cup yellow card – and that mistake is just one thing to work on following Ireland's comprehensive Pool A win over Scotland.
Beirne finished the last ten minutes of the 27-3 win in the sin bin after infringing at a Scottish ruck which developed after Ringrose was beaten.
He took responsibility for this, saying that he would be working on his defence, though he was delighted the way Ireland managed to hold Scotland at bay despite only having 14 men.
"It was probably my fault that we conceded that yellow card getting beaten off my inside shoulder," he said, speaking to RTÉ Sport.
"That’s something I am going to have to improve upon because other teams will look at that and see it as an opportunities. It’s up to me and the other centres to improve on those little things and more throughout the games. We can still do better.
"To be able to hold a team of their quality scoreless is huge from us. We’re not underestimating that, but they know they left an opportunity or two out there and they’ll be kicking themselves about that.
"They could have executed on a different day so we’re not getting carried away."
To get their Rugby World Cup campaign off to a winning start is a huge relief for everyone in the Ireland camp and Ringrose is already looking ahead to next Saturday’s clash with hosts Japan in Shizuoka.
"Definitely relief is the word," he said.
"We knew we wanted to win that, which is stating the obvious, and we knew how tough it was going to be so there is a relief there having won.
"Right from the pre-season friendlies we were trying to build and improve and we knew how tough Scotland were going to be.
"In particular we were looking at the second half of the Six Nations against England and how they finished. It showed how dangerous they can be and the last time they played us, they left an opportunity out there.
"We're not getting carried away. We’re not underestimating the significance of beating such a tough side, but we know we still have a lot to improve on. It’ll be all hands on tomorrow morning to improve and be better."
Ringrose points to Japan’s RWC 2015 shock win over South Africa and his own experience of touring the country in 2017, which resulted in two wins from two internationals,as reasons for Ireland not to get carried away and start looking forward to the quarter-finals already.
"It’s four years ago I was watching them on television four years ago against South Africa and I was here two years ago – they are a fearless team," explained the Leinster man.
"We played Japan while the Lions tour was on and we got an appreciation of how tough and good they can be. The home nation will have 60,000 people cheering for them and that will make it tough. It’ll be another level up again."
