Jack Conan has dismissed the theory that the Ireland players could be suffering from a post-Lions malaise following Leinster's underwhelming display against Munster.
Twelve of the Leinster squad that lost the URC derby 31-14 to Munster at the weekend were part of the British and Irish Lions tour to Australia, including senior Ireland players Jamison Gibson-Park, Tadhg Furlong, Andrew Porter, Dan Sheehan, Robbie Henshaw and Garry Ringrose.
Conan, who started all three Tests in Australia, had been named to start but suffered a slip at home and was ruled out with a knee issue.
The number 8 is in Chicago with the Ireland squad as they prepare to face New Zealand on Saturday week and declared himself "fine" when he spoke to reporters remotely on Thursday.
Asked about the possibility of a comedown following such an energy-sapping tour, physically and emotionally, Conan pointed to fellow 33-year-old Lions forward Tadhg Beirne, Munster's destroyer-in-chief in the Croke Park clash.
The Munster captain played 80 minutes in all three Tests and even underwent elbow surgery before making his seasonal debut against Leinster.
"I don't think it's a thing myself," said Conan, who has 51 Ireland caps.
"I suppose I was very conscious after the season last year that I'd obviously been on the go for a long time.
"I think including rehab and whatever else, I was on the go 14 months in a row so I was conscious of taking enough time to get my body right and switch off and recover and mentally give yourself a bit of space before getting back at it.
"I don't think anyone has said that Tadhg Beirne had a Lions malaise, if that’s how you put it.
"Looking at him over the weekend, he was fantastic.
"Obviously, things didn't go right for the Leinster lads against Munster the other day but there were still some good performances in there and it's not something that's on anyone's mind.
"I think the lads will be fresh and ready to go, and there'll be no lack of motivation for next week and in the coming weeks anyway."
However, Conan does believe that there are lessons to be learned from the defeat.
Many of Andy Farrell’s side have been lightly raced at the start of the season, while the All Blacks have just come out of a very competitive Rugby Championship campaign.
"Yeah, we even spoke about it last week in Leinster, you’ve got to make it happen," said the Wicklow man.
"Just 'cos we show up on the day doesn’t mean we are going to be right, physically or mentally so you’ve got to get yourself to that space, whatever that means for you, come game day, come kick off you’ve got to be ready to go.
"We just didn’t show up on the day, probably one of the worst performances.
"I don’t want to be dogging the lads ‘cos I wasn’t playing. It was pretty disappointing.
"It’s kind of strange, lads playing that and straight off back into the [Leinster] group and then you are off into camp.
"I think it’s a good lesson in that it’s no excuses, other teams are going to pitch up with the right mentality, and we need to match them and surpass them at everything else.
"I’m sure there are lots of learnings to be taken from that."
The Gallagher Cup rematch takes Ireland back to the scene of their first every victory over New Zealand, the 40-29 win at Soldier Field in 2016.
Conan was just breaking into the national set-up at that point and was on duty for Leinster away to Zebre in the Pro12.
"I watched it on one of the lad’s phones," he recalled.
"Sitting on the airport floor on the way back from a game.
"We played Zebre that day, over there, and we watched it on the way back. I think that’s what happened.
"A few of the lads that I would have started out with at Leinster were playing.
"Garry [Ringrose] was on the bench for us, first cap, didn’t get on but Tadhg [Furlong] was there, Josh [van der Flier] came off the bench, Robbie [Henshaw] was playing 12.
"They’ve very fond memories from that week.
"My memory from that week was just beating Zebre, 12-0 [33-10, with Conan scoring a try] or something like that so not exactly a classic performance but anyway."
Asked if the narrow 2023 World Cup defeat to Ian Foster’s side in the quarter-final had been brought up, he said: "It's kind of still in the back of the head, obviously,
"That's one of those moments you never really get over, but like it's not something we'll be linger on.
"Maybe it'll come up over the next few days.
"I'm not too sure, but it's a new task and a new day, and the teams have changed a bit since then."
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