“You know, a highlight would probably be the Wales game,” he says. “I felt we came out really well and played incredibly well in that game again today. Getting to win a trophy at home in front of our own crowd, that’s an incredible achievement.
Ireland knew how dangerous Scotland could be in open play with players like Stuart Hogg, gamely running almost every chance he got. Both replacement hooker Rob Herring and fullback Hugo Keenan were forced into the two outstanding tackles of the match by a charging Hogg. “Yeah, it was an incredible tackle. You know, he’s doing that all the time,” says Beirne. “You can see his work-rate off the ball.
“I’m absolutely delighted for him. It was an incredible tackle and it certainly lifted us as a squad and we went from there.”