THE LEINSTER PLAYERS who had to watch him make turnover after turnover last night will be relieved to have Tadhg Beirne back on their side with Ireland in the coming weeks.
While some of the returning big names in blue struggled to get to the right pitch at Croke Park, the Munster skipper picked up where he left off at the end of last season.
Beirne did not look like someone who hadn’t played for two-and-a-half months.
His first breakdown poach came in the 26th minute when Alex Nankivell chased an accurate Ethan Coughlan box kick and thumped Jamie Osborne in a tackle. Beirne had followed up and timed his arrival perfectly to target the ball. Penalty Munster.
There was no evidence of rust in Beirne’s superb performance as he continued to be a menace to Leinster at the breakdown, making several more steals.
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Among the most satisfying was his 62-minute penalty win in the Munster 22, a turnover that came at the end of an astonishing three-minute spell of defence from his team. It’s rare for the ball to stay in play for that long in rugby and Leinster threw every ounce of physicality they had at Munster.
The visitors had the solutions on what was a special night for Munster defence coach Denis Leamy, whose call for more violence in the tackle was well and truly answered.
As well as being a breakdown pest, Beirne came up with two crucial maul turnovers just metres from the Munster line. When Leinster had barged over for an early maul try through Rónan Kelleher, it looked like they might be on for a productive evening in that department. But Beirne was at the heart of Munster flipping that contest on its head.
While Ireland boss Andy Farrell has quite a few concerns ahead of his side’s first November Test against New Zealand in less than two weeks, the sublime showing from Beirne will be heartening.
The man himself was taking no credit last night.
“I got lucky a few times in terms of the picture that was put in front of me by the lads making good shots or changing the point of contact and making their ruck, you know, two lads come into the ruck, not being able to get there and opening up pictures for me,” said Beirne of his turnovers.
“So you can look at the turnovers and be patting me on the back, but it’s actually those around me who are creating those opportunities.”
He’s right, of course. There are few in rugby with breakdown skills and instincts like his, but Beirne always relies on others to give him an opportunity.
Go back to that 62nd-minute turnover, which sparked major Munster celebrations and felt like a game-clinching moment. Just before Beirne’s poach, we can see how Jack O’Donoghue, Jack Crowley, and Fineen Wycherley’s efforts open the door.
O’Donoghue, Crowley, and Wycherley wrap up the isolated Tadhg Furlong and look for the choke tackle turnover, but Furlong manages to get to ground.
Still, the Munster trio’s effort in driving Furlong backwards as they look for the choke means James Ryan and Josh van der Flier have focused on getting the contact to ground, so the ball is suddenly exposed.
Beirne’s speed to it underlines his finely-tuned senses. He beats James Lowe to the punch by a distance.
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Munster’s defence was relentless at Croke Park. Indeed, having grabbed that early converted Kelleher try, Leinster didn’t score again for 72 minutes until the clock was in the red at the very end.
Leo Cullen’s side had more than 60% of the possession but they struggled to break Munster’s stubborn defence.
Leamy’s charges made 241 tackles, with Wycherley topping the charts on 20. O’Donoghue and Dan Kelly had 19 tackles each, while Crowley, John Ryan, and Gavin Coombes all delivered 18.
Head coach Clayton McMillan summed it up well as the dust began to settle on his side’s impressive win.
“You can look into the heart and soul of a team, I think, by the way that they’re prepared to fight for each other and defend.”
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Beirne shows his brilliance on the back of Munster's relentless defence
THE LEINSTER PLAYERS who had to watch him make turnover after turnover last night will be relieved to have Tadhg Beirne back on their side with Ireland in the coming weeks.
While some of the returning big names in blue struggled to get to the right pitch at Croke Park, the Munster skipper picked up where he left off at the end of last season.
Beirne did not look like someone who hadn’t played for two-and-a-half months.
His first breakdown poach came in the 26th minute when Alex Nankivell chased an accurate Ethan Coughlan box kick and thumped Jamie Osborne in a tackle. Beirne had followed up and timed his arrival perfectly to target the ball. Penalty Munster.
There was no evidence of rust in Beirne’s superb performance as he continued to be a menace to Leinster at the breakdown, making several more steals.
Among the most satisfying was his 62-minute penalty win in the Munster 22, a turnover that came at the end of an astonishing three-minute spell of defence from his team. It’s rare for the ball to stay in play for that long in rugby and Leinster threw every ounce of physicality they had at Munster.
The visitors had the solutions on what was a special night for Munster defence coach Denis Leamy, whose call for more violence in the tackle was well and truly answered.
As well as being a breakdown pest, Beirne came up with two crucial maul turnovers just metres from the Munster line. When Leinster had barged over for an early maul try through Rónan Kelleher, it looked like they might be on for a productive evening in that department. But Beirne was at the heart of Munster flipping that contest on its head.
While Ireland boss Andy Farrell has quite a few concerns ahead of his side’s first November Test against New Zealand in less than two weeks, the sublime showing from Beirne will be heartening.
The man himself was taking no credit last night.
“I got lucky a few times in terms of the picture that was put in front of me by the lads making good shots or changing the point of contact and making their ruck, you know, two lads come into the ruck, not being able to get there and opening up pictures for me,” said Beirne of his turnovers.
“So you can look at the turnovers and be patting me on the back, but it’s actually those around me who are creating those opportunities.”
He’s right, of course. There are few in rugby with breakdown skills and instincts like his, but Beirne always relies on others to give him an opportunity.
Go back to that 62nd-minute turnover, which sparked major Munster celebrations and felt like a game-clinching moment. Just before Beirne’s poach, we can see how Jack O’Donoghue, Jack Crowley, and Fineen Wycherley’s efforts open the door.
O’Donoghue, Crowley, and Wycherley wrap up the isolated Tadhg Furlong and look for the choke tackle turnover, but Furlong manages to get to ground.
Still, the Munster trio’s effort in driving Furlong backwards as they look for the choke means James Ryan and Josh van der Flier have focused on getting the contact to ground, so the ball is suddenly exposed.
Beirne’s speed to it underlines his finely-tuned senses. He beats James Lowe to the punch by a distance.
Munster’s defence was relentless at Croke Park. Indeed, having grabbed that early converted Kelleher try, Leinster didn’t score again for 72 minutes until the clock was in the red at the very end.
Leo Cullen’s side had more than 60% of the possession but they struggled to break Munster’s stubborn defence.
Leamy’s charges made 241 tackles, with Wycherley topping the charts on 20. O’Donoghue and Dan Kelly had 19 tackles each, while Crowley, John Ryan, and Gavin Coombes all delivered 18.
Head coach Clayton McMillan summed it up well as the dust began to settle on his side’s impressive win.
“You can look into the heart and soul of a team, I think, by the way that they’re prepared to fight for each other and defend.”
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Defence Leinster Munster poacher Tadhg Beirne URC