Iain Henderson has vowed that Ireland will take valuable lessons away from their Rugby World Cup campaign.

Defeat to Argentina at the Millennium Stadium on Sunday afternoon ensured that the Green and Whites' long wait for a place in the semi-finals goes on.

Ireland had reduced the deficit to just three points early in the second half, having initially been 17-0 behind, but there was to be no dream comeback in the end.

"Bringing the game back to that level was obviously a massive effort from the boys," Henderson told Sports Mole. "Being 17 points down in any international game, it's always going to be hard to work back."

Despite the disappointment of falling at the first knockout-round hurdle for a seventh time, the second-row was quick to turn focus to next year's Six Nations, where Ireland will be aiming retain their crown once again.

"We have been in this position before - being top of the group and losing the quarter-final," he said. "We will just have to learn from it and move on to the Six Nations."

The 43 points scored by Argentina was the most that they have ever recorded against a top-tier nation outside of South America.