One of those interviewed in the World Cup review spearheaded by the IRFU's Performance Director David Nucifora, former Armagh footballer and high-performance coach with the Ireland team Enda McNulty shared his thoughts on the team's collapse in Japan. 

Throughout a six-year spell that began at the tail end of Declan Kidney's tenure as Irish head coach, Enda McNulty has had his share of good and bad days with Ireland's rugby team.

Uncertain where his future lies after Joe Schmidt's departure, should his services be deemed unnecessary by Andy Farrell an exciting journey will have finished on the sourest of notes.

"There have been big lowlights," he said on Friday's OTB AM of the team's performance at the Rugby World Cup in Japan, "particularly the Japan defeat and the New Zealand defeat. I cannot sugarcoat that."

A high-performance coach, the All-Ireland winner with Armagh explained the parameters of his role within the Irish setup.

"[I helped] out with the mental prep," he clarified, "being there as a sounding-board for the leadership group and the staff."

It is with this in mind that McNulty approached the task of sifting through the disappointment of Ireland's quarter-final exit, and determining where he could have done better.

You might well say, was it not my role to do this? I would have to hold my hands up and say that in that respect I would do a lot of things differently.

Enda McNulty with Josh van der Flier. ©INPHO/Dan Sheridan

One participant in the wide-ranging review carried out by the IRFU's Performance Director David Nucifora, McNulty did not share the opinion of those who have criticised the Australian for limiting the purview of the investigation to exclude his own role in the performance.

"Being very transparent, I would have sat down with David for two-and-a-half hours a month ago and we had a very strong debrief," he revealed. "I have huge respect for David Nucifora and have worked very closely with him over the last five years.

"We, as a nation, in terms of rugby, need to significantly raise the bar in terms of the mental preparation of the squad. I would agree with [David Nuficora in] that."

Yet, given the central role that the mental preparation of players played in his day-to-day dealings with the team, McNulty doesn't shirk the responsibility that he could, perhaps, have done more.

"You might well say, was it not my role to do this? I would have to hold my hands up and say that in that respect I would do a lot of things differently," he admitted.

"If I didn't say that you'd have to say I was either arrogant or insane.

"I learned more in 10 weeks in Japan than in the previous 10 years. I wouldn't be scarred, I think we need to learn."

You can listen back to Enda McNulty's interview in full here where the All-Ireland winner discusses what Ireland must do differently if they want to succeed. 

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