Stage is set for in-form Beirne to impress O’Connell ahead of Six Nations opener in Wales

HAD things worked out differently, Tadhg Beirne would be lining out in the blue corner at Thomond Park this evening, and in another world entirely, he would be pulling on a red jersey in the Six Nations opener in two weeks’ time.

Beirne’s Leinster days are all but a distant memory now because, in the short time he has been in Limerick, he has become a key part of the Munster pack.

However, even when Munster came calling in 2018, it wasn’t a straight-forward decision to leave the Scarlets, where Beirne’s performances earned him such plaudits that Wales were keen for the Kildare native to play for them via the three-year residency rules.

With the lure of international rugby dangled in front of him, Beirne decided to back himself and give himself a second chance of making it back home.

Two and a half years on, that decision has proven to be the correct one, and although he has had his injury problems, Beirne’s return to fitness and form is timely with the Six Nations just around the corner.

That there is a new Ireland forwards’ coach to impress merely heightens the stakes in Limerick, especially for Beirne.

Unenviable

When Beirne joined Munster, the province were still searching for a long-term replacement for Paul O’Connell – an unenviable task if ever there was one.

The 29-year-old is a very different player to O’Connell, but he has helped fill the void in the engine room, even if many feel that his Ireland future lies in the back row.

In the past, Beirne’s versatility has, at times, counted against him in that coaches often view him as an ideal bench option, given how comfortable he is at switching between the two positions.

With O’Connell now in situ as Andy Farrell’s new right-hand man, it will be fascinating to see how Ireland’s forwards coach views Beirne at Test level.

The 17-times capped international is regularly one of the standout players for Munster, but there is a feeling that we haven’t yet seen the best of him in a green jersey on a consistent basis.

Much of that has been due to the fact that he has been in and out of the Ireland team, but with Iain Henderson in a race to be fit for the Six Nations opener against Wales in a fortnight, the stage is set for Beirne to impress O’Connell and stake his claim.

O’Connell will link in with Farrell and the rest of the Ireland coaches tomorrow, as the brains trust put the finishing touches to the Six Nations squad, which is due to be announced on Monday.

If, as expected, there is more to come from Beirne in terms of his Ireland career, then O’Connell is the ideal man to help propel him to the next level.

A broken leg saw Beirne miss last year’s initial Six Nations squad, which meant he wasn’t around for the England game when O’Connell spent time in camp.

Beirne recovered and with Henderson sidelined he started both of the refixed Six Nations games in October at lock, while he was on the flank for the Autumn Nations Cup win over Georgia.

In total, six of Beirne’s nine international starts have come in the second row, with the other three in the back row. O’Connell has already been in touch with Ireland’s lineout leaders – a role that Beirne has really grown into with Munster. Taking on the responsibility of lineout calling has added another string to his bow, and being able to regularly pick the brain of the country’s greatest ever caller can only be a good thing.

Going toe-to-toe with a heavyweight Leinster pack, which includes seven Ireland internationals and an Australian who played in a World Cup final, provides Beirne with the perfect chance to prove a point to some of those who believe he is more suited to playing in the back row.

There is no doubt that he has played some of his best rugby in the No 6 jersey, but Munster view Beirne as a lock, and with RG Snyman due back from his knee injury in the coming months, that particular duo have huge potential as a second-row partnership.

An outstanding display in the recent win over Connacht, who were given a torrid time at the breakdown by Beirne, backed up what has been an impressive season for the Eadestown man.

O’Connell will be across all areas of the enthralling forwards battle that awaits in Limerick, but he will be keeping a particularly close eye on how the in-form Beirne fares.