While top level sport is all about results, Scott Bemand is fully aware of the bigger picture at play.
Ireland lost three of five Six Nations games, including the final-round defeat to Scotland, but ended up with a second-consecutive third-place finish, thanks to wins over Italy and Wales.
Bryan Easson's Scotland side provide the opposition for Saturday’s first World Cup warm-up in Cork (2pm) and in a team containing three debutants, two starting and one on the bench, Bemand is adamant that performance and cohesion are top of the list.
In addition, three more experienced players, captain Sam Monaghan, Béibhinn Parsons and Eimear Corri-Fallon, all return following lengthy injury lay-offs.
"There's always going to be bigger pieces at play," said the head coach, whose side face Japan, Spain and New Zealand in Pool C of the World Cup in England later this month.
"When you're looking at preparing, going into a tournament, the first and foremost piece that we're going to be after is qualifying from the group.
"So anything we need to achieve in these games, against Scotland and Canada, is going to be all about getting out to the World Cup and performing, and getting to the quarter final.
"We think we've got that in us to keep asking questions as World Cup contenders.
"So is it all about the result? It's nice to build momentum, but it's not all about the result.
"It's about building performance, about building performance momentum.
"So if we get that bit right, I believe the results will take care of themselves. I believe we have got a group to get the outcome that we're after.
"After the Six Nations we said it was really important to get results away from home. This is a Test match, and we will play it as such.
"But what we'll get from the performance is what will create the momentum going into the World Cup."
Ireland are without injured pair Erin King and Dorothy Wall for the tournament, while star back row Aoife Wafer is in a fitness battle as she recovers from knee surgery.
Connacht flanker Ivana Kiripati (above) and Exeter centre Nancy McGillivray will win their first caps from the off, while Connacht back row Ailish Quinn will get her opportunity off the bench.
"Back rows are generally very competitive," said Bemand of the new forward caps.
"Every team that's operating at the top end of the sport has an incredibly strong and varied back row.
"And we've got girls coming through.
"So Ivana and Ailish have fairly recently been involved in the 20s programme and they’ve had a good block of working with us over the summer.
"And I tell you, they've got some impact in them, both in ball-carrying and turnover ability.
"So they're going to get to make an already competitive position even more competitive."
On London-born McGillivray (above), who qualifies through her father, and who has previously trained with England, Bemand said: "She's an incredible talent coming through.
"We're lucky that we had some connections with her previously, we know what she can do.
"She's been fully immersed in the squad from sort of block two onwards and getting her game minutes and getting her ability to run pass-kick on the pitches is going to be a big part to providing competition, which hopefully keeps elevating levels within the centres.
"But I'm really happy with what our centres can do.
"And we've got a good amount of challenge and competition to hopefully get some good quality performances out there."
Asked if there were plans to make multiple changes for the second warm-up game against Canada on Saturday week in Belfast, Bemand said: "Let's get Scotland out of the way first.
"People have got opportunities to play their way in and out of groups. We shall treat these Test matches with the respect they deserve.
"A Test match in an Ireland shirt is a special and important piece. So we'll get our performance right, the outcome will take care itself."
Ireland will name a 32-woman squad for the World Cup on 11 August.
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