Ireland coach Eddie O'Sullivan was left regretting a missed opportunity after Saturday's one-point defeat to Australia.
The Irish must now play France in Melbourne on Sunday 9 November in the quarter-finals, while Scotland face Australia.
However, O'Sullivan felt Ireland could well have been celebrating a first win in Australia since 1979.
"We are a pretty devaststed team at he moment," said the Ireland coach.
"We played all the rugby in the second half and deserved to win that game.
"A couple of key decisions went against us at the end of the game which ripped the guts out of us.
"But I am very proud of what they achieved, playing the World Champions in their own back yard and taking the game to them every step of the way.
"If there was any justice we would have pulled that one off.
"We felt it was a game we could win and we went in with that frame of mind. We knew if we took the game to the Aussies they would feel the pressure and they did for a long time.
"We matched them blow for blow and maybe shaded that game."
Ireland skipper Keith Wod said there would be no problem picking the team up for the French clash.
"We are obviously disappointed but not too disappointed because we are in the quarter-final in a week's time," said Wood.
"We may get chance to reap revenge because we could meet Australia again.
"We were very close to having it. We are not happy because we came here to win."
MMIX
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England heroes profiled