Ireland captain Caelan Doris accepted his team have "lessons" to learn for their clash against England next week after a nervy 20-13 defeat of a gutsy Italy at Aviva Stadium.
The Azzurri pushed Ireland right to the end of an absorbing contest in Dublin, James Lowe's interception extinguishing one frantic last attack at the death.
It's a first win on the board in this Six Nations for Ireland, but with a trip to Twickenham to take on England up next, improvements will be required.
"Pleasing to come out the right side, definitely," Doris told Virgin Media Sport. "Proper battle the whole way through. That last 10-minute period, we were defending quite a bit in our own 22. So (I'm) happy with some of the character we showed.
"I think Italy played some very good stuff and tested us throughout, but equally I feel there's some stuff we left out there, probably weren't clinical enough, had some early opportunities, some of our discipline stuff was maybe a little bit off, but definitely pleasing to be on the right side of the result. I think it's a pretty good springboard to build on for next week."
Trailing 10-3 at half-time, Ireland grabbed the game by the scruff of the neck on the turnaround with Jack Conan and debutant Robert Baloucoune crossing over to turn things around before the Italians came back into it.
"I think there was a little bit more intent," Doris said of the second-half showing. "Intent was definitely the word of the week. I thought we were quite good, there was a pretty good feeling in the first half, but another step up in the second, especially in some of the defensive sets.
"Definitely some pleasing stuff in there, but some lessons to be learned as well as we go to Twickenham next week.
"It's obviously a tough place to go, you might not get that many chances, so we need to convert them. Scoreboard pressure away from home is going to be very important. Those early chances that we got today, we need to convert them next week if they come again. That's the big thing. Pressure into points."
For Ulster's Baloucoune, it was a good day at the office. On his first start in the competition he bagged a try, had nine carries and was named player of the match.
"It was unreal," he said. "We came in at half time and we knew the performance we wanted to give out in the second half. We got the result. It's all a new experience for me.
"It’s class. It was a feeling over the last few years, I felt it would be impossible to get to. Even getting into the Six Nations camp it has been unbelievable. To be given the chance and score at the Aviva, it’s unreal.
"I just try to play the best I can. 'Faz' (Andy Farrell) told me to get out there and express myself and I feel like I did that. Hopefully that carries on."
