LATER this month, Munster will be seeking a first piece of silverware in a decade as they meet Leinster in the Pro 14 final on March 27. The last time Munster found themselves in a competitive final was back in 2017 as they faced the Scarlets in the Aviva.
On the stroke of the half hour, that game was put to bed as the Scarlets lock emerged from a sea of Munster bodies after crashing over the whitewash for his sides fourth try inside 30 minutes.
Pumping his fist off the ground in his now familiar blue scrumcap, Tadhg Beirne knew his team were en their way to an unlikely Pro 14 title. Twelve months later the Kildare native helped Scarlets back to the final but this time they were beaten by his former club, Leinster.
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Nonetheless, his impressive performances didn’t go unnoticed as Munster announced his signing midway through the season with the utility forward going on to win the Player of the Championship in that year’s Pro 12.
His first Irish cap came that summer prior to his Munster debut where he was part of the first Irish series win Australia, featuring twice for Joe Schmidt’s men. But, with the national spotlight fixed firmly on him, things failed to spark over the next eighteen months as Schmidt only enlisted him to start six times for Ireland.
His unerring consistency for Munster since his arrival did little to convince the Kiwi of his importance as Beirne was deemed surplus to the requirements in the second row where James Ryan, Iain Henderson and Devin Toner were the go to men. In the back row, where he was equally adept, there was a host of men to get past including Peter O’Mahony, CJ Stander, Dan Leavy, Josh van der Flier and most recently Will Connors and Caelan Doris.
But after biding his time in the national set up, Beirne was handed only his second ever Six Nations start in October against Italy as the championship resumed after an eight month hiatus.
Ireland vs Italy
Ireland’s Tadhg Beirne goes over for the third try
Mandatory Credit ©INPHO/Dan Sheridan
He retained the number 4 shirt for the final round game with France with Iain Henderson again missing out through injury.
Andy Farrell retained his faith in the Munster man for the opener of the 2021 championship and he repaid that fate in a try scoring effort as Ireland’s standout performer in the loss. Henderson was his partner against France a week later where he was his usual busy self.
Ahead of the Italy game, Henderson and Ryan all checked in as fully fit as Farrell was faced with his first big decision of the campaign and pressure mounting after two defeats in the opening games.
He bit the bullet, slotted all three in with Beirne moved to blindside flanker and Ireland picked up their first win of the tournament. Although the victory came against the Italians, Beirne at 6 was named man of the match as Henderson and Ryan reacquainted themselves in the second row.
For the Scottish game, the trio were retained and again Beirne was named man of the match in an Irish win, dotting down for his second try of the tournament.
Had Ireland a better than 50% strikerate heading into the final game with England, Beirne would be short odds for player of the tournament, but nonetheless, the swiss army knife of the Irish team is now delivering on all fronts.
While once he was a luxury of the bench with his ability to cover at second or back row, now he a guaranteed member of the starting XV.
Tadhg Beirne has arrived on the international scene and he is intent on making up for lost time. Up next, the English.
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