Peter O'Mahony was delighted to see Joey Carbery pick up the Man of the Match award on his return to the Ireland No 10 shirt against Argentina as the 26-year-old stepped into Johnny Sexton's shoes and led his side to a record win.
Carbery spoke during the week about his struggle for form since recovering from a major ankle injury, but he showed few ill-effects as he guided the team around the Aviva Stadium well as Ireland made it three wins from three this November.
Having closed out the famous win over New Zealand last week, O'Mahony believes Carbery is getting the reward for his hard work behind the scenes.
"It's great. He had a rough 18-month period and he's an incredible professional. He kept his head down, stuck at it, and he's gathered momentum now that he didn't have for a long time just by putting games back-to-back," the Munster skipper said.
"He's been around the environments and not just rehabbing. Once you're back in the squad, it's different. It's tough when you're rehabbing, I've been there and it's a tough old period but he's come back and he's added to the environment, added to the enjoyment, preparation and performance side of things.
"He's driving that on and he's growing in experience, which is important for him. He's only young so he's getting there."
O'Mahony stepped in to captain Ireland after James Ryan was forced off with a head injury and was picked up on the referee's microphone giving Argentina second-row Tomas Lavanini a piece of his mind after the reckless clean out on Cian Healy that resulted in a red card.
After the game, the flanker was a bit more generous to the man he'd mockingly called "a hard man" in the heat of the moment.
"These things happen," he said.
"It’s split-second stuff for him.
"He’s trying to make an effort to clean someone out and he’s got it wrong. That’s what I thought at the time and you’re trying to look after your buddies, looking after your mates and the last thing you want is for them to get injured.
“From his point of view it’s tough as well.
"It’s literally fractions of a second and at the time I was pissed off but I’ve been on the other side of it and you’re talking about hundredths of seconds where pictures change and, you know, red card.
"The disappointment of getting a red card for your country is nothing you can experience, I wouldn’t wish that on anyone.”
In February, O'Mahony experienced that particular low in Cardiff and he was delighted to come into the starting XV late and contribute to this win.
And he heaped praise on his head coach Andy Farrell for the environment that the former England international has created.
"We prepare all week," he said.
"We're in and out all week and you have to be ready to go. Faz spoke about Nick (Timoney), he was in Belfast and is down this morning and comes on and does what he does.
"You've got to be ready. It's your preparation and your work that gives you confidence.
"That comes from your work in training during the week, so it doesn't matter what point you get told at. You're ready to go.
"I speak for the group in saying that it’s been an incredibly enjoyable month.
"I was chatting inside and having a beer there and it’s just been great fun.
"We’ve learned a huge amount as a group and the cohesion that we have built has brought us to that next level of friendship which is so important.
"Chatting there with Hugo (Keenan) and I have loved the month. It’s probably the most enjoyable one of my career so far, which has been a while now. It’s been great.”
