Irish lock Tadhg Beirne has been left with a serious dilemma.
Former Leinster man Tadhg Beirne has been on Munster and the IRFU’s radar following his incredible 2016/17 campaign. The 25-year-old was snapped up by Scarlets at the end of the 2016/17 season after being released by the Irish province and played a pivotal role in their Guinness PRO12 triumph.
With Donnacha Ryan gone to Racing 92, the Tipperary man’s shoes are just waiting to be filled. Beirne could well be the Cinderella man of this tale, and he has made his ambitions about representing his country very clear.
“If I want to play for Ireland, I’ve to come home. That’s the reality, they don’t pick you outside it.”
“Everyone wants to play for their country since they’ve been kids. Right now I’ve another year at Scarlets, I’m going to focus on that. Contract talks… we’ll look at it then.”
And didn't he just love it?! #MUNvSCA https://t.co/cUz5EIarTG
— SportsJOE (@SportsJOEdotie) May 27, 2017
If Beirne wants an international call-up, he will more than likely need to be playing his rugby on the island. It’s something that Scarlets coach Wayne Pivac realises, as he told the BBC.
“He wants to play for Ireland and who can blame him? We’ll wait and see how that one pans out.”
Pivac confirmed that Beirne has been offered a contract extension by Scarlets which has left him with a huge decision to make. He will have to choose between remaining loyal to the team that offered him a golden opportunity when Leinster didn’t want him or making a real run at the Ireland team.
“He has a bit of a dilemma in that he is playing so well that all of a sudden there are some noises coming out of Ireland.”
“I don’t think they wanted to know him 12 months ago, and that’s why he came here to the Scarlets to get some regular rugby.”
Pivac certainly seems to think any decision will boil down to his international ambitions, anyway.
