Jack Conan: 'We're gutted but we'll get there someday'

"We'll get there someday," promised Jack Conan after Ireland’s crushing quarter-final defeat to New Zealand in Paris ended their World Cup dream.

Conan described his beaten team-mates as "the greatest bunch of lads I’ve ever known" and lamented the team’s failure to give the retiring Johnny Sexton and Keith Earls the World-Cup-winning send-off he felt they deserved.

"It wasn’t to be. We gave it our all. At the end there, 30-odd phases, you can’t fault the effort from anyone," Conan told RTÉ Sport. "You can’t fault lads’ attitude, their work-rate for each other, how much they wanted to work hard for each other. The greatest bunch of lads I’ve ever known. It’s just so gutting not being able to do it. But it’s such a pleasure and honour to play in this jersey with this bunch of men.

'It just wasn't to be... You can't fault the effort'

A devastated Jack Conan pays tribute to the coaches and his team-mates after the defeat to New Zealand #rwc2023 pic.twitter.com/OdHp8Pr7tu

"Just not the ending lads deserved. Johnny, an incredible servant to Irish rugby over the years and the greatest player I’ve ever had the pleasure of playing with or knowing, he just deserved so much more. All the lads are gutted that we couldn’t give him what he deserved.

"We were so full of confidence that we were going to go do the job. That’s rugby, it’s just a bounce of a ball. We scored one try in the second half. Just so gutting. The overall feeling is just gratitude to everyone in the country who made the last few weeks so special. People who paid out of their own pockets to be here, we’re sorry we couldn’t do it for you.

"Rugby can be cruel. We played really well at times today. A few decisions, a few bounces of the ball didn’t go our way but credit to