“Irish sports fans are the best in the world,” he said after the game. “The support for this team has provided Joe Schmidt’s squad with a huge lift.

Video by Dan Linehan.

Of the game itself, he felt head coach Joe Schmidt would see plenty of room for improvement.

“There’s aspects of the game they won’t be happy with,” Lenihan said.

“Defensively they were a bit off the pace.

“A bit like the Canada match, a lot to be very happy about, but I think they’ll be very conscious that there are bigger tests ahead.”

Shaun Cronin, head sports reporter of breakingnews.ie also spoke to the Irish Examiner's rugby correspondent Simon Lewis after the game.

Video by Dan Linehan.