Beirne: I can feel the pressure but I’m sure I can thrive under it
TO understand what being back in Ireland playing professional rugby means to Tadhg Beirne, it’s important to rewind the clock and remind ourselves of how close he came to giving up.
After all, it’s only two years ago that he’d signed up to do a Masters in real estate, using the money he had saved from delivering pizzas to pay for the course.
What he has achieved since has been nothing short of staggering as Beirne has not only revived his career, but has become one of the best players in Europe.
“I haven’t had a chance to stop and think but I probably will look back and think about that moment when I almost did pack it in — I might still have to go back to delivering pizzas when I retire though,” he laughed.
Beirne is sitting in Munster’s high performance centre in UL when we meet. He is totally comfortable in his new surrounds after leaving Scarlets, which is helped by the fact that he got his house sorted last week, bringing an end to the commute from his native Eadestown in Kildare.
Up to that point, Beirne had been crashing with Andrew Conway. The trek down the M7 is a familiar one for Beirne, not only because he has been driving it for the last few months.
The 26-year-old’s mother Brenda hails from Cahir, which meant that Beirne and his sisters spent many a summer in the Tipperary town.
Munster is in his DNA, and while it might not be his home province, he has a deep understanding of what it means to pull on that famous red jersey.
“To say when I signed for Munster that my mum’s side of the family were happy would be an understatement,” Beirne smiled.
“It was about this time last year really that we (Munster and I) started speaking — I did have a phone call from Joe (Schmidt) in the end.
“From that point on, it wasn’t an easy decision at all but it was made easier by knowing that I needed to be in the country to have an opportunity to play for Ireland.”
Leaving the Scarlets came with a pressure of its own. Beirne was settled in Wales and uprooting again meant that he had to make it work for himself.
Earning a first cap in the second Test against Australia during the summer certainly helped ease any tensions.
“I did find it difficult,” Beirne said of his first few days with the Ireland squad.
“The first two weeks of Irish camp were... I don’t want to say not enjoyable but I put so much pressure on myself to get up to speed because you’re in such an intense environment for such a short period.
“Those two weeks were just flat out learning and making sure you don’t make mistakes, because you don’t want to be the one to make a mistake.
“It’s pressure more than anything. Once you get familiar with the calls, I started to relax and enjoy myself. Thankfully I got to put on the jersey then.
“Hopefully now that I am back, I will actually be able to get selected (regularly).
“There is obviously pressure here to play well. I’m not where I want to be at the moment so I can feel that pressure.
“In my head that probably plays on me a little bit as well. I know I need to play a lot better if I want to be playing at international level.
“My focus now is with Munster and getting my performances right, then hopefully the Irish selection will follow.”