Gregor Townsend admitted Scotland's Six Nations campaign ran out of gas against Ireland.
But the dark blues boss insisted defeat won't be allowed to derail the strides his side have made this season. The 22-7 loss was an eighth straight defeat to a side which will now land the Grand Slam title if they win against England in Dublin on Saturday.
A Huw Jones try had put the Scots ahead early on before a second-half collapse ended all hopes of a first Triple Crown success since 1990. Scotland close their campaign against Italy on Saturday with an outside chance of finishing second before planning for the World Cup later this year with a group clash against the Irish in October and Townsend is adamant they can become the sum of all parts before that collision.
He said: "It was very disappointing in the second-half. In the first-half we were on it and the players were a bit deflated that we weren't leading at half-time. It's just disappointing the second-half wasn't competitive and we are very disappointed with that 40 minutes.
"I felt the energy was dropping throughout the team after all the work which was put in during the first half. Whether we expected things to come to us? We didn't grab that and Ireland did, we were also too passive at times.
"Once they went ahead they showed what a quality side they are. It should make us more determined to not go through an experience like today. There is confidence to take from how we have been playing and there will be real determination to take that on for 80 minutes.
"We are close to working it out as we showed enough in attack and defence in the first half which can trouble Ireland. The World Cup is a bigger stage and there are more consequences but we have learned."
Townsend was bitterly disappointed with the manner of his side's collapse but admitted his team must deliver an 80 minute performance against the Italians at Murrayfield in six days time.
He said: "You have to credit Ireland but the first half was such a high level and pace that both teams weren't at that level at the start of the second-half. We expect more of our players and our accuracy wasn't there and we were chasing the game against a very good Irish team.
"The internal focus of what we are working towards and putting it into an 80 minute performance. That will be the goal this week. Forty or fifty minutes isn't good enough and it won't be good enough against Italy. I'd rather talk about the first half than the second half, because the second half was disappointing."
Scotland skipper Jamie Ritchie admitted the lack of finishing touch and a failure to match the Irish after the break proved to be their downfall. He said: "In the first half we lacked a clinical edge. Credit to Ireland in the second half, they put a lot of pressure on our breakdown, we couldn't get any continuity and couldn't create as many chances. It's a tough one.
"They're a very good side. We knew we could apply pressure if we slowed their ball down. We let them get momentum in the second half and we're on the wrong side of the scoreline. Had we taken the opportunities, the scoreline would have looked much different.
"We took our foot off the gas and didn't apply enough pressure. There's also a reason why Ireland are the number one side in the world at the moment."
Irish coach Andy Farrell claimed his side had to find every ingredient to claim the win. He said: "As far as character and fight go, that's the best game I've been involved in. "
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