Rugby Union - Rugby Union - Rugby World Cup 2019 - Quarter Final - New Zealand v Ireland - Tokyo Stadium, Tokyo, Japan - October 19, 2019 Ireland head coach Joe Schmidt during the warm up before the match REUTERS/Issei Kato
(Reuters) - Outgoing Ireland coach Joe Schmidt has expressed regret for the way he prepared his players for the World Cup, saying the team's desperation to prove their credibility in Japan may have been their downfall.
Rated major contenders a year out from the tournament, Ireland crashed out of the quarter-finals with a 46-14 thrashing by the All Blacks, continuing their record of never winning a knockout game at the global showpiece.
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