Martin Johnson feels his England side "will be better for the game" after beaing beaten 20-16 by Ireland at Twickenham.
England boss not pleased with penalty awarded against Care
England manager Martin Johnson was left to look back on a "tough, tough loss" after seeing his side go down 20-16 to Ireland.
A late try from winger Tommy Bowe, his second of the game, clinched a hard-fought RBS Six Nations victory for the visitors at a soggy Twickenham.
Johnson has now called on his players to bounce back away to Scotland in their next outing having seen their Grand Slam dreams dashed at home.
Having trailed 8-6 at the break, England had looked on course for victory when Jonny Wilkinson landed a drop goal with just nine minutes to play.
Tough loss
"It is a tough, tough loss," admitted Johnson.
"I thought the guys played very well. They got themselves back into the game and got themselves ahead. It was a tough game, either team could have won it.
"But we only took one in the second half and they scored two. That was probably the difference.
"It is a very tough loss to take and we will work that through. We will be better for the game.
"I said to the players they have to keep that horrible feeling inside of them for two weeks and release it at Murrayfield.
"We come back to play Scotland, who will be playing that game to save their championship (after today's defeat to Italy)."
The turning point in the game came when a penalty awarded to England was reversed due to Danny Care dumping rival scrum-half Tomas O'Leary on the turf for not releasing the ball.
Reversal
Johnson questioned whether such a decision was necessary from referee Mark Lawrence, with Ireland going on to kick the ball deep to set up a try for winger Keith Earls in the left corner.
"Games turn on things like that," said Johnson. "In a game like that, is that a penalty reversal? They jumped in just as quickly (in the subsequent melee).
"I don't think it was a penalty, personally but it was given.
"Even then we came back but it was disappointing to concede a penalty with the last play of the game when we had driven them back 25 yards."
Ireland coach Declan Kidney allayed fears regarding the wellbeing of Brian O'Driscoll, who took a nasty-looking blow to the head from the knee of team-mate Paul O'Connell.
"Brian took bit of a bang. It was nothing - he was out on the pitch at the end. He's good and is enjoying the win as much as anyone," said Kidney.
"Brian just felt he should make Paul do the press conference to make up for him giving him a bang on the head with his knee.
"There's no risk of concussion. He's fine."
Finishing
O'Connell felt his side were worthy winners despite only edging it at the end.
"I don't think we played outstandingly well but we showed a lot of intensity and a high work-rate," he said.
"To come back and win the game with eight or nine minutes to go is a good feeling. The guys are very pleased with that.
"Finishing is something the guys work hard on and it came off today.
"We don't mind how we win but it's a great when you score three tries on a day like today."
