Tadhg Beirne ready to return and haunt Leinster

Tadhg Beirne spent three frustrating years trying to make it at Leinster before building a career for himself in Wales.

It’s the kind of experience that could provide a larger pouch of ammunition this week but he speaks like the kind of guy who has moved on as he returns to the RDS for tomorrow’s Guinness Pro12 semi-final with the Scarlets.

A 6’ 6” lock who can put in a shift at blindside, Beirne is the sort of player that doesn’t come along all that often in Irish rugby but injury scuppered his big chance with Leinster’s academy at a time when he needed to be making a mark. Adductor and shoulder injuries in year two did most to hold him back and, though he persuaded Leo Cullen to give him a third year, only four appearances off the bench followed before his agent went looking elsewhere and found him a post in Llanelli.