Eddie O'Sullivan says he has welcomed the stint as Barbarians coach as the perfect chance to erase memories of Ireland's disastrous Rugby World Cup campaign.

O'Sullivan is preparing the Baa-Baas for Saturday's clash with South Africa at Twickenham - his first assignment since his side was knocked out before the quarter-finals in France.

The Irish Rugby Football Union's inquest into the embarrassing showing is nearly finished and the 49-year-old admits it has been a painful process.

However, he says the Barbarians job has gone a fair way to healing some of the wounds.

“For Ireland the World Cup was hugely disappointing. We failed to produce anything that vaguely resembled our form during the season,'' he said.

“Since then it has been a tough time trawling through everything that happened.

“That process has nearly come to an end and the Barbarians offers me an opportunity to get back on the horse.

“It feels good to be back on the horse. You always ask hard questions and the hardest questions you ask are of yourself.''

O'Sullivan is also enjoying the different challenges presented by coaching the Barbarians.

“(It’s) is a unique honour and it gives me the opportunity to work with some hugely talented people,'” he said.

“It's very different to coaching Six Nations or international level.

“You just have to act as a conduit between these players - a kind of facilitator. In many way with the Barbarians less is more.