Beaten but unbowed. Andy Farrell believes that not only do Ireland have to become the best team in the world if they are to compete with the best, but that they have the capability to do so between now and next year’s Rugby World Cup. The onus, he accepted, is on him and his assistants to make this happen.To put his words in context, this was not a boastful comment designed to generate headlines, but rather an acknowledgment that Ireland have to add up to at least the sum of their parts, if not more so. That’s the only way Ireland can compete with the athleticism and power which the leading sides possess, as was demonstrated in November against New Zealand and South Africa, against France in the Six Nations, and again last Saturday in Eden Park.“I believe we’ve got to be the best team in the world – emphasis on ‘team’ and all the variations of what makes that in our opinion – because there’s unbelievable athletes in our team, but you can see the magic that some of these athletes can do,” said Farrell of the All Blacks after Ireland’s 40-21 defeat.“But that doesn’t say that we can’t beat them. We can. We’re here sat in the dressingroom again and probably reflecting on what should have been, never mind what could have been. It could have been better obviously, but we should have given a better account of ourselves if we’re being honest.”In that he was talking about the “penalties conceded or uncharacteristic poor passing” which blighted their first-half performance, most notably the gift-wrapped Will Jordan try immediately after Jack Conan’s 33rd-minute score had made the score 14-7 and briefly had Ireland in contention.New Zealand's Will Jordan scores his side's third try of the match. Photograph: Brett Phibbs/Photosport/Inpho That such errors can be ironed out fuels Farrell’s assertion belief that this Ireland team can become the best in the world.“Yeah, yeah, yeah, I definitely do. And it’s up to us as coaches to come to the party on that and challenge the players and show them how to do that and make sure that the players have got the hunger to come back into preseason and show that they’re willing to take that challenge on.”Publicly stating his ambition for this team was also in keeping with his approach to this game offering the opportunity to be the side to end the All Blacks’ 32-year, 52-game unbeaten run at their Eden Park fortress.“I’m not frightened of saying those type of things, but I’m not actually coming out and making a statement. I’m just putting the reality to our lads that that has to be our ambition. It has to be, otherwise, what’s the point?”The 2025-26 season wasn’t without its highs too, notably the performances away to England and at home to Scotland in winning the Triple Crown, and the gutsy comeback win over Australia in Sydney to kick off this end-of-season tour.In that sense, Farrell agreed that it was “probably correct” to regard this sixth season under his watch as more of a rollercoaster than any of the previous five.“I was excited about this tour because of the southern hemisphere and the differences in that and the personnel that we’re leaving at home and coming out here,” he added.“So, in that regard, it’s been great because it’s given people a taste of the difference. You don’t know until you know but having said that, you’d be a fool not to learn the lessons from it.“I mean, we bigged this up and we always do because we want to put pressure on ourselves to be able to deal with big occasions and we built this up to be a big game and the uncharacteristic errors that we’re talking about is something that we need to address.“Because if you want to be at the right end of where you want to be in 15 months’ time, then that’s what you’ve got to deal with. So therefore, there’s a big lesson there.”Ireland’s Jamison Gibson-Park runs in to score a try. Photograph: David Neilson/Photosport/Inpho The tour wasn’t without its positives, above all that 33-31 comeback win over the Wallabies.“First off because of the pressure that Australia were under and the billing of the game and the full stadium and all of that and the way that they [Ireland] played, the character.“It wasn’t a perfect performance. Now, don’t get me wrong, but the fight and the character, it was a hell of a win. And then therefore giving people the experience of coming over here and putting an Irish jersey on last week, I mean, that’s not to be sniffed at for us going forward.”The final scoreline against New Zealand was akin to the first of the 2022 series, when Ireland responded to a 42-19 defeat by famously winning the second and third Tests. Perhaps, it was suggested to Farrell, this defeat can be more beneficial in the long term.“Well, that’s what it should be. Otherwise, it’s for nothing, all of this. So, that has to be the reflection. We have to scrutinise what’s happened over the last 12 months, take all the good and the bad and see what we can do with it.”As with the team of 2022 and 2023, which added the Grand Slam to that series win in New Zealand ahead of the last World Cup, there’s plenty to aim for next season, be it as high a place as possible in this inaugural Nations Championship and a Six Nations with England and France at home.“Pre-season will be on us before we know it,” said Farrell. “Everyone deserves a break, I’m sure you all agree with that. But once the dust has settled and they’re sick of sunbathing, then hopefully they reflect properly and come back into preseason on August 31st and hit the ground running for the start of what’s going to be a massive year ahead.”