Tadhg Beirne: 'Backlash received by me, Porter and our families for Dupont injury was enough punishment'

Neither Beirne nor Porter was cited by the Six Nations citing officer but Irish management later revealed both player’s families had been targeted for online abuse in the aftermath of Antoine Dupont's injury

Tadhg Beirne has said there was no intention to hurt Antoine Dupont. File picture: Tyler Miller/Sportsfile

Tadhg Beirne believes the social media backlash he and Andrew Porter experienced after the rugby incident that ended Antoine Dupont’s season in last month’s Ireland-France clash was “enough punishment” for the pair.

No action against the Irish forwards duo was taken by referee Angus Gardner and his team of officials following their breakdown clearout that landed on the French captain and scrum-half’s exposed knee. Yet a furious French camp rounded on Beirne and Porter with head coach Fabien Galthie citing the pair for their part in the incident.