Beirne: I Loved My Time There, They Live And Breathe Rugby

The love connection blossomed across the Irish Sea – Beirne quipped: “I met Harriet six months before I left (Llanelli), it was good timing!” – and his professional career also prospered to the stage where he is now a 58-times capped Ireland international, a two-time Six Nations winner, a Test Lion, and captain of Munster.

All those achievements seemed a long way off when injuries hampered his progress at Leinster, allowing players to jump ahead of him. He feared for his rugby future, saving up money from delivering pizzas to start a Master’s degree in Real Estate at DIT.

However, a starring role with Lansdowne under Mike Ruddock led to a switch to Llanelli, and although there was more misfortune with injuries, he patiently made his way into the Scarlets first team via some initial appearances with semi-professional outfit Llandovery.

Famously a PRO12 title winner with the Scarlets in 2017, and the league’s Players’ Player of the Season the following year, the Kildare man insists he has had ‘a lot of luck on the way’, but he has experienced dark times too, and lows that have shaped him into the player he has become.

The Ireland-Wales fixture is always a big one for the Beirne and Fuller families, and ahead of the resumption of the Guinness Men’s Six Nations campaign in Cardiff on Saturday, Tadhg spoke fondly about his time with the Scarlets.

“I’d definitely say thanks and (have) gratitude to the Scarlets, for sure, and Wayne Pivac for taking a shot on me,” he said, speaking just a day after his new two-year contract extension with the IRFU was confirmed.

“It was a last-minute decision for the Scarlets to sign me and I’m just grateful they gave me the opportunity and it worked out the way it did. I loved my time there.

“I was treated unbelievably well by the fans and the players and everyone. I made some great friends there as well.

“Winning the league, that whole year is still one of the most enjoyable years of my career because I went from not playing to playing every game.

“We pretty much went unbeaten for a long stretch of the season in the league. I don’t think we lost after the third game. The enjoyment we had within the group of players, they are the things I think back and say I enjoyed the most.”

He added: “The Scarlets are similar in some ways to Munster in terms of the passion they have for the sport. The one thing I found similar when I came to Munster was how passionate the fans were in terms of the team and rugby in general, and I got that sense in the Scarlets as well.

“Just as a nation they are very proud of their achievements and the quality of rugby players they have produced in Wales. It’s something they live and breathe over there.

“Welsh rugby has probably taken a downturn from when I was there. They’re certainly building even this year compared to last year.

“You can see the improvements in the regions as well. It might take a bit longer for them, I don’t know, but I’d say they are definitely improving, and I’m sure it will get better.”

Beirne is a key cog in Ireland’s drive for a Six Nations three-in-a-row, and it is no surprise to see him standing out already with a try against England, two impactful starts at lock, seven lineout takes, and two breakdown steals.

His ultra-consistent performances saw him honoured as one of four Ireland players included in World Rugby Men’s 15s Dream Team for 2024. He has started 12 of the reigning Six Nations champions’ last 13 Tests, only being rested for the Italy game last February.

Described by IRFU Performance Director David Humphreys as ‘a mainstay in the Irish pack across a hugely successful era’, the recently-turned 33-year-old underlined his world-class status on tour to New Zealand (2022) and South Africa (2024), and is doing his utmost to stay at the top of his game.

“I feel great. The lads kind of slag me that I was a bit late getting to the game so I have a few more miles in the tank maybe at my age,” he explained.

I think I feel pretty lucky to be in the situation I’m in. When I was 23 to 25, this was never really on the cards for me.

“The opportunities came quite late in my career so you certainly value it a lot more – well, I wouldn’t say more because I don’t know what it would have been like to win my first cap at 20, but I certainly value it very highly.

“I think I’m very lucky to be in this position. I want to be in this position for as long as I possibly can and keep my body in good shape to continue to perform for Ireland and Munster.”

The lineout is sure to be hotly contested in Cardiff this coming weekend. The two Welsh tries against Italy both came directly from lineouts as their maul did the damage, while five of Ireland’s eight tries so far in the tournament have originated from their lineout platform.

As the team’s lineout caller, Beirne would have been justly proud of them setting a new Six Nations set-piece record in their Championship opener at the start of the month.

They retained possession from all 23 of their lineouts against England, the most of any side to maintain a 100% success rate in a Six Nations fixture since Italy joined the Championship in 2000.

Along with his added responsibilities around the lineout, the 2021 British & Irish Lion has been growing into his role as Munster captain. He took the reins from his provincial and international team-mate, Peter O’Mahony, just last September.

“I’ve had to speak a little bit more in Munster than I would have before,” he acknowledged. “I’m not usually a man of many words so that’s something that I’ve probably had to add.

“And I don’t know if I’m any good at it yet! But I’m working on it, and hopefully it has added to my game.”