The only connection between the games will be the mood as the players go to work. Relief will probably win the emotional race when they fetch up for their next round of PCR tests.

The story of Ireland against Japan has always been about the higher-rated nation using superior power to effect a choke hold to win. Ireland ran out of juice when the teams last met — partly because the speed and accuracy of Japan punctured Joe Schmidt’s side.

So, there was a moment here in the second half when you wondered if Ireland’s inability to summon up the old reliable might see them slide over the edge.

In the 43rd minute Siosaia Fifita finished off a try of breath-taking skill. Hugo Keenan — by a country mile the best back to emerge on Farrell’s watch — had done very well to counter attack positively, but the ball disappeared out of the breakdown and suddenly Japan’s 10 Yu Tamura was away down the short side, but running out of space.

With the passing lane closed off he threaded through the perfect grubber for Fifita, who did brilliantly to finish. It crowned a very good day for the powerful wing. A few hours earlier he must have been gutted by the 100 plus points Tonga, the land of his birth, had heaped on them by New Zealand. He is a fine player and did a brilliant job here.

It was the type of try Ireland don’t score. So the home team dialled up the traditional, direct approach. The interesting bit was it had had let them down badly in the first half.

Ireland’s lineout looked shaky. Two prime attacking platforms out of touch — one five metres out, the other 22 — had been wasted. If they couldn’t find a vein here there would be no transfusion and Japan could fill their boots.

This is where Josh van der Flier got the airtime to secure his man of the match award. Using him as a plus-one on shortened lineouts Ireland finally joined the dots between call, throw, lift and delivery.

Suddenly Ireland were off and running again. You can’t beat a bit of front-foot ball. The mini revival delivered, in quick succession, tries for Van der Flier himself, and Jacob Stockdale.

It wasn’t a game-ending few minutes but it was a hefty deposit, on which Joey Carbery was happy to tack on a couple of penalties.

Farrell didn’t want to have to deal with defeat. He might leave it until after the Eagles game to look at the difference between them and us: Japan’s ability to use the fatties — as front row forwards are lovingly known — to play like loosies.

Necessity is the mother of invention, so Japan have learned to be creative or get smashed.

Ireland’s situation is not as stark. They started the day ranked fourth in the world to Japan’s 10th but it’s screaming off the page that Ireland need to combine the rigour of the set-piece with skill and willingness to play on the hoof.

Naoto Saito’s try on 57 minutes? Pace, accuracy, and skill to deal with a picture that kept changing in milliseconds.

It was glorious to watch. Farrell will think this is a long-term fix, the solution to which will be delivered long after he’s gone, but he has talent in this group and needs to drive and challenge them.

When Joe Schmidt considered the same equation he reckoned it couldn’t be done without digging and relaying the foundations, so he stuck to what he had made Ireland good at: retaining the ball for ages.

It was good to see Shane Daly get a decent run in a fast and furious game. He reinforced his athletic ability.

When he develops as a player his partnership across the park with Jacob Stockdale will be a go-to starter for Ireland. Look how Japan use Fifita — their left wing — off scrums set in the middle of the park.

This doesn’t need to be ingrained from minis through schools and youth in order to run it out at senior level. By all means wade in at the bottom of the food chain, but address the top end at the same time.

Farrell should be hot to trot on this: lifting every stone to see how his players can use their skills better to deliver differently on the big days.

Next weekend is not one of them, but no harm in tweaking a few things in the run-up.