Rory Best admitted Ireland's fixation with their World Cup quarter-final sticking point proved their undoing in the record 46-14 defeat to New Zealand.
Ireland leaked seven tries in Tokyo en route to their record World Cup defeat, with Aaron Smith crossing twice and Beauden Barrett, Codie Taylor, Matt Todd, George Bridge and Jordie Barrett all also scoring.
Ireland lost their seventh quarter-final in nine World Cups, with their wait for a maiden semi-final now set to last at least 36 years given the next tournament is not until 2023.
Veteran hooker Best's Ireland career is now at an end after 124 caps, the 37-year-old Ulster stalwart now retired in the wake of that crushing All Blacks defeat.
Ireland have long since admitted experimenting in this year's Six Nations in a bid to peak at the World Cup, but Best has now conceded that strategy backfired.
