Tadhg Beirne a real game-winner for Munster, says Johann van Graan

Munster’s Tadhg Beirne is tackled by Harlequins’ Marcus Smith and Nathan Earle. Picture: Inpho/Gary Carr

On a European night when there was much to admire about Munster’s 21-7 Heineken Champions Cup victory over Harlequins, there was a short passage of play that neatly encapsulated the hard-fought contest.

It came quickly on the heels of a low point at Thomond Park, as Stephen Archer was sin-binned for a professional foul on Danny Care, tackling the Quins scrum-half before he had advanced 10 metres from a quick tap penalty early in the second half. The visitors advanced into Munster’s 22 but would go no further, Damian de Allende ripping the ball brilliantly from his opposite number Ben Tupuai, Tadhg Beirne catching it.

Instead of looking for creative assistance, the Ireland lock took matters into his own hands, and boot, launching a brilliant spiral left-footed 60 metres into the Harlequins 22. Quins full-back Mike Brown could not match the second row for technique, slicing his clearance — under pressure from Beirne himself — not more than 15 metres.

It was a mistake Munster capitalised on with relish. A driving maul from the lineout, clever box kick into space from Conor Murray, leading to a penalty, from which another strong maul, still minus Archer, garnered a penalty try, the first of two that was enough to defeat an English side that had all three back-rowers sin-binned almost consecutively between the 38th and 72nd minutes.

And all from Beirne’s flash of inspiration and commitment to the cause, something that would help him to a well-deserved man of the match award.

“Firstly, that was a phenomenal kick,” Johann van Graan said with a smile afterwards. “That was the biggest left-footed kick we’ve had here for a while.

“Really happy with Tadhg. He’s fresh, he didn’t play the last few weeks with the national team. Tadhg is a game-winner, he can play 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8. He’s played in most of those positions for us and I’m glad for him and really glad for the team.

“He’d claim he’s right-footed but he’s actually left-footed.”

It was a good night all-round for the Munster pack and van Graan, whose decision to hand a European debut to Gavin Coombes was vindicated by the Skibbereen native, two days on from his 23rd birthday, peeling off another maul and powering his way through three defenders for a maiden Champions Cup try.

It was his sixth in as many consecutive starts and van Graan said of Coombes: “I actually had a quiet word with him when we left the hotel and I said ‘it’s just another game and you’ve got to back it up again’ and he most certainly did. He trained well the whole week and there’s some really strong competition in that back row and I thought he did really well.”

It was a team performance that pleased the head coach in terms of Munster’s composure and, barring Archer’s yellow card, discipline, as Quins lost theirs.

“I guess what we could have done better with some of the execution. That was down to the conditions and we haven’t played together for a while, but we were really positive. We tried to play, we tried to move the ball, we tried to keep it alive and we’re evolving. I’m really happy with a win in Europe.” 

Bigger challenges face Munster this weekend when they must go to Stade Marcel-Michelin and renew rivalries with an ASM Clermont Auvergne side that put 51 points on Bristol at Ashton Gate last Saturday. Yet van Graan insisted there was no reason why the likes of Coombes, and young replacements including scrum-half Craig Casey, and academy duo fly-half Ben Healy and loosehead Josh Wycherley should not continue to play their part.

“Yeah, most definitely. We’ll keep pushing with our base squad and giving guys not opportunities, but guys who’ve earned their spots. I thought Clermont gave one of the best performances of the weekend.

“It will be a massive challenge for our squad and we’ve got a few long-term injuries but the guys have put up their hands and I’m really looking forward to going there on Saturday.”