Cian Prendergast is relishing another chance to be part of a win on the Irish tour of New Zealand after being named in the starting team to play the Maori All Blacks on Tuesday morning.
Prendergast made rapid progress with Connacht this season and started the first game of the tour following his inclusion in the touring squad.
That match did not go to plan for Ireland as a demoralising defeat ensued.
Ireland were also beaten by the All Blacks but produced a shock, historic victory last Saturday in the second Test to change the mood in the camp.
Andy Farrell will once again give his inexperienced players an opening on Tuesday and having watched on from the sidelines at the weekend, Prendergast feels reinvigorated.
Speaking to RTÉ Sport, the Connacht flanker said: "It's very exciting. We got an opportunity 10 days ago and feel like we didn't show the best of ourselves, so it's exciting to get another opportunity to wear the jersey and hopefully put on a great performance
"We probably didn't do ourselves any favours (in the first game with the Maori All Blacks).
"We were ill-disciplined.
"We lost big moments in the game. In the second half it was better definitely. I think we crossed the line four times to be held up, which was incredibly frustrating, and it was a massive learning for us."
Ireland's most experienced campaigners received the most accolades following the win over New Zealand as, not for the first time, Peter O'Mahony and Bundee Aki excelled in the green jersey.
While that was a welcome part of the victory, the need to be able to call upon youth is apparent for Farrell and his coaches Mike Catt, John Fogarty, Paul O’Connell and Simon Easterby as the World Cup approaches.
Prendergast feels he is adapting to his new surroundings and this second appearance will only help that transition.
He added: "For a lot of us it was our first game playing for Ireland so it's massive to get another opportunity.
"We are having a decent four weeks bedding in the habits that Faz, Paulie, Catty, and Simon want us to have. They get to see our own habits and you can build on your own skillset to make yourself better.
"It's really about demonstrating we're capable of doing that now. At the end of the day it's about performing on Tuesday.
"Everyone here is trying to help each other get better because we're all building towards something bigger in the coming months so it's about trying to get my game to the next level while also being the best team-mate for others I can be."
With the Test series tied at 1-1, this game can continue the Irish momentum going into Saturday’s final game of the tour.
Prendergast was inspired by what he saw from his fellow Ireland players and wants to give them a further boost in the Sky Stadium.
"It was incredible to be involved in and the feeling amongst the group is 'we want a piece of it now'.
"It'd be really nice to get a result and be on the winner's board as well.
"I remember watching the second Lions Test here when I was 17, it's phenomenal to be here and experience it. It'll be even better to play here.
"It has dawned on all of us how hard it is to win here now. It's a really big challenge for us now to try to get a win here and hopefully set us up to try to get two wins from two this week."
Follow a live blog on New Zealand Maori v Ireland on Tuesday from 8.05am on rte.ie/sport and on the RTÉ News App
Follow Ireland's Test series against New Zealand via our live blogs every Saturday at 8.05am on rte.ie/sport and on the RTÉ News App or listen to live radio coverage on RTÉ 2fm.
