Ireland lost a Six Nations game yesterday evening but what did they win?
A superb France outfit, who will surely go on to win the title, needed all their reserve to prevail, outscored by three tries to two as they were.
Those blasted French taking their points when on offer - sacrebleu!
But Ireland were close at the death, and with a little bit more luck could have snatched victory.
However, this defeat and its manner will stand to Andy Farrell's charges.
The worst outcome we can imagine is a scenario where Joey Carbery fell flat on his face in the biggest Test of his career.
Instead, burdened or blessed, whichever you want, with a two-week break until Italy rock up at the Aviva, there should ensue a reasoned debate about whether the Munster out-half keeps his place or the captain comes back in.
In these Covid times, reasoned debate has gone out the window but let’s welcome it with open arms in the safety of mere sports quandary.
Johnny Sexton is rehabbing from a mild hamstring injury and Farrell played down its severity last week. He indicated that the 36-year-old would be fit for the Azzurri.
Carbery, meanwhile, on his first competitive start, earned the following plaudits: "Excellent, obviously everyone was curious to see how he would go but it didn’t surprise us.
"He was very confident and assured. He kicked beautifully for goal and I think he controlled the game pretty well for us."
That was his boss, Andy Farrell.
His half-back partner chimed in.
"I thought he was awesome," said try-scorer Jamison Gibson-Park. "Joey's come a long way; he was class today, fair play to him."
Drop that?
Maybe, but drop him without a Ward-Campbell, Humphreys-O’Gara, O’Gara-Sexton-style debate? No thanks.
Feel free to be as polite as you want to Italy but Brian Smith could come out of retirement and line up at out-half and Ireland would still come out of that fixture with five points.
As for room for improvement, Farrell will have recognised there’s still another gear in this team.
So long angelic against Wales, yesterday's visitors conceded 10 penalties and made 13 handling errors, missed 14 tackles and got turned over six times.
That all occurred under fierce pressure but they are all stats that can and will be improved on as the team gains more experience.
Take Dan Sheehan, for example, thrust in a battle royale after just 26 minutes when hooker Ronán Kelleher departed injured.
"I suppose I haven't played in many tight games, or games that I've been behind in this season, with Leinster or Ireland," he told RTÉ Sport on the occasion of just this fourth cap.
"All the games I've come off the bench in or been involved in, we've been ahead by a few.
"So coming on I knew that we'd have to start doing something different or get back into our game, there was pressure on us and I think maybe at times it got to us slightly, we got a bit flustered and didn't get into our flow.
"But you could see the times we did get into our flow, we were dangerous and we scored points.
"But huge learnings for us, because most of the lads here haven't been chasing a game or behind [with Ireland], and we did a good job to get back and give ourselves a chance."
Ratings: Carbery leads the way
As for the whole experience of genuine Six Nations pageantry, stripped of that God-awful Covid-inflicted behind-closed-doors fakery of the last 24 months, it’s worth its weight in gold.
"I think it was a great build-up to the game," said the Leinster hooker.
"We came into Paris on Thursday, and since then I've heard more Irish [voices] than French. I thought the build-up was class, I enjoyed every second of it.
"It's different gravy coming into the Stade de France. The noise is different level, whatever-thousand people there against the 15 of you."
"I enjoyed it. I got a good buzz off it, but it’s annoying not to come away with the win."
Last night’s game was as intense as any game this side have had under Andy Farrell, and that includes the win over New Zealand.
Those who were able to lift their bodies in Paris last night will probably have been forgiven the indulgence of a couple of glasses of red by the head coach. They deserved it.
As for Sexton v Carbery, enjoy the debate.
