Baz & Andrew’s House of Rugby – Tadhg Beirne and John Cooney

"In your autobiography, for that period with Scarlets, there's going to be a chapter on teammates' wives getting pregnant!"

For the ever-modest Tadhg Beirne, luck played a big part in him reviving his rugby career in Wales, and on more than one occasion. Surplus to requirements at Leinster, the Kildare native was forced to look elsewhere in the hopes of giving a professional rugby career one last go. He took a chance by pausing his business degree studies and heading off to Llanelli to play with Scarlets. The idea, says Beirne, was to hold tackle shields in training, pick up some game time when and where he could and prove to the coaches that he was worth keeping around. It took him a while to get settled but injuries, and expectant fathers, in the Scarlets second and back rows gave him his opening and he never looked back. Week 10 of remote recording for Baz & Andrew's House of Rugby saw Beirne - now firmly established with Munster and Ireland - join us to chat with Barry Murphy and Andrew Trimble. Beirne got back from representing Ireland at the 2019 World Cup in Japan and looked in decent nick until he badly injured his ankle during an away game against Saracens. There was a delay in his ankle surgery and other set-backs, but Beirne feels he is not far off a return to full training [however that may look in our new normal]. When he is reunited with his Munster teammates, there will be two World Cup winners in the squad, new arrivals from South Africa Damien De Allende and RG Snyman. Beirne spoke about how both men will hopefully help Munster push on when rugby returns, but he also was keen to chat about Normal People and making sourdough. Also discussed on the show:

• Tadhg Beirne details the tough comeback from a double injury "nightmare"
• John Cooney on the disappointment of missing that World Cup campaign and how he spurred himself on
• Trimby's take on being voted Northern Ireland's 33rd sexiest man
• Classic movie (Gladiator), album (Marshall Mathers LP) and match (Munster vs. Toulouse, 2000 European Cup SF) reviews.

WATCH THAT HOUSE OF RUGBY EPISODE HERE: <

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SUBSCRIBE TO BAZ & ANDREW'S HOUSE OF RUGBY: https://playpodca.st/house-of-rugby-ie