Monday 4 February 2019 20:56, UK
Peter O'Mahony has rejected suggestions Ireland lacked motivation against England in their Six Nations opener and is adamant they can still defend their title.
Ireland were dominated physically by Eddie Jones' side as they suffered their first defeat in Dublin against England since 2013 and their first home loss under Joe Schmidt.
The Munster flanker insisted Ireland will target an immediate response when they face Scotland at Murrayfield on Saturday.
Asked if Ireland can still win this year's tournament, O'Mahony said: "Absolutely. We were up against one of the best teams in the world and we got beaten, and we're not going to shy away from that.
"But I don't know why we would be panicking. We're hurting, 100 per cent. The Aviva Stadium is a place where we hadn't lost for a while.
England at home says enough in itself, so I don't think we weren't motivated to go and win at home. That doesn't sit well with me.
"You never like losing, no matter if you are playing for Ireland or your club, but particularly at the Aviva [Stadium] which is somewhere we have made a fortress.
"Certainly that hurts. I'm certainly not going to sit here and say it didn't hurt. It did. But we can't be sitting around feeling sorry for ourselves.
"England at home says enough in itself, so I don't think we weren't motivated to go and win at home. That doesn't sit well with me.
"There's a lot of rugby to be played between now and the end of the campaign. We're going to go back to do what we do well, and we're going to do that excellently this week, hopefully."
Munster team-mate CJ Stander was ruled out for up to four weeks after sustaining a facial injury during the defeat in Dublin, with Leinster's Sean O'Brien in contention for a starting role at the weekend.
O'Brien has just returned from the broken arm he sustained during Ireland's November autumn internationals, but O'Mahony says his fellow British and Irish Lion is ready if called upon.
"I'm not going to sit here and pick the team, but Sean O'Brien, the name along speaks for itself," said O'Mahony.
"He's been unlucky with injury here and there, but there isn't anybody more professional and a big-game player than Sean O'Brien."
