Monday-morning reviews became far less intimidating, but even that raised doubts that Farrell didn’t have a firm enough grip on the set-up.

None of this is to suggest that Schmidt didn’t do a remarkable job in charge, yet by the end, there was a weariness across the board as the intensity caught up with everyone.

Farrell spent three successful years working under Schmidt, and while he certainly learned a lot from one of the smartest minds in the game, Farrell is his own man, which has been key to how he has gone about transforming this Ireland team.

The former England international has always been a people person who gets on well with his players. That was looked upon as a negative in some quarters, yet his approach is bearing fruit.

Farrell had a front-row seat for what worked and what didn’t in the Schmidt era and, as such, he has gone about implementing change accordingly.

Off the pitch, there is a more relaxed feel around the environment. On it, there is steely determination, the likes of which we saw when Ireland were at their best under Schmidt.

The biggest difference, however, is that the players no longer look like they are afraid to make mistakes for fear of what awaits them on Monday morning.

There is a refreshing freedom in how they are expressing themselves, with the new attacking shape designed to get the best out of what is now a very dynamic team.

Structures will always be vital within a successful rugby team, but that can often cause them to become too predictable, which was ultimately Ireland’s downfall in 2019.

Farrell has touched on a couple of interesting points over the last fortnight following his side’s impressive wins over Japan and New Zealand.

Firstly he told us: “We don’t want an attack that’s too tidy, we want to play what’s in front of us.”

And then last Saturday, Farrell said: “Our traditional way as a nation, I think everyone in the northern hemisphere really, it’s about rolling up your sleeves and getting stuck in.

“We’re better than that – we’re skilful, we’re able to make decisions and play a varied type of game, play whatever is in front of us.”

In our mind, that has been the most pleasing aspect of Farrell’s tenure thus far, as he wants to change the perception of his Ireland team in much the same way as his counterpart Stephen Kenny wants to do with the soccer side.

Even in the last couple of weeks, both men have had to deal with digs about their team’s style of play, as Japan boss Jamie Joseph predicted a kick-heavy approach from Ireland before his side were obliterated with an exciting brand of rugby that his Brave Blossoms have been lauded for.

In the build-up to Ireland’s 3-0 win over Luxembourg last weekend, Kenny was rightly irked by his opposite number suggesting his team’s style was based on long balls.

It’s time to change the record because in Farrell and Kenny, Ireland have two men who are determined to do things their way. We can’t remember a period when the Ireland rugby and soccer teams played such an attractive style at the same time.

There were always going to be teething problems and although both sides are far from the finished product, the journey they are on has captured the public’s attention.

Farrell has managed his squad well over the last two weeks by using the Japan game as a building block for the stunning win over the All Blacks.

That Ireland stuck to the same principles rather than reverting to type was encouraging, and the challenge now is to build on that going into what is a huge next year.

Before that, Argentina are in Dublin for Sunday’s final Test of 2021, which provides Farrell with a chance to give other players game-time, even if there may not be wholesale changes.

The Six Nations is the IRFU’s cash cow and with a three-Test tour to New Zealand to come next summer, opportunities to blood players will be limited.

Keeping his squad happy whilst getting everyone on board with what is still a new game-plan is vital for the long road ahead.

Farrell has done so up to this point, as have his fellow coaches Mike Catt (attack), Paul O’Connell (forwards), John Fogarty (scrum) and Simon Easterby (defence), all of whose influence is now far more evident.

Catt was under major pressure to prove to the wider public that he wasn’t just hired because he is Farrell’s mate, and while it has taken time, the players are thriving in his attacking system, which encourages them to make decisions based on what they see rather than playing to a strict, prescribed game-plan.

Ireland haven’t suddenly turned into the complete package despite their rise to fourth in the world rankings.

But like Kenny, Farrell has put his stamp on this team, with the promise of much more to come.

It’s not just the players who are enjoying it, the supporters are too.