Tadhg Beirne ‘over the moon’ to face Japan after anxious wait for Ireland star

By Edward Elliot, PA, Dublin

Ireland head coach Andy Farrell says Tadhg Beirne is “over the moon” to be facing Japan after enduring the uncertainty of a disciplinary process and requiring stitches in a head wound.

Munster captain Beirne was in danger of sitting out the remainder of his country’s autumn fixtures through suspension following his early dismissal in last weekend’s 26-13 loss to New Zealand in Chicago.

The 33-year-old lock initially received a yellow card for his third-minute challenge on All Blacks fly-half Beauden Barrett but the punishment was upgraded to red on review.

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Beirne’s controversial dismissal was overturned late on Tuesday evening following a successful appeal before he was inadvertently injured by team-mate Jack Conan in training the following day.

“It’s been a distraction for Tadhg,” Farrell said of the player’s appearance before an independent disciplinary committee.

“You can’t obviously select a side or know for definite what’s going to happen, even if you’re putting your mortgage on trying to presume what could happen.

“There’s a distraction obviously in going through the process, the amount of emails that are flying around and the hearing itself, I sat through it with Tadhg.

“It’s certainly not nice and it’s not a good start to his week.

“He was over the moon (with the outcome), not like you would have seen it on his face with Tadhg’s manner anyway.

“He trained on Wednesday and Jack Conan came down on his head with his elbow from a lineout and he got split. I think he had six stitches. So, not a great start to the week for him but hopefully it gets better.”

Beirne has been retained in the second row alongside James Ryan for Saturday’s clash with Eddie Jones’ Brave Blossoms in Dublin in a starting XV showing eight changes from the New Zealand defeat.

Captain Caelan Doris returns to lead the side after coming back from a six-month absence caused by a shoulder injury as a replacement against the All Blacks.

“He’s worked bloody hard to get to this stage and he’s been ultra professional to come back this quick,” Farrell said of number eight Doris.

“He’s fit, he’s determined to 100 per cent keep on climbing within his career.

“It’s great for him to get back in the starting team and to captain the side because I’m sure that he’s been waiting for that for quite some time.”

Farrell hopes to see a reaction from his team, who led 13-7 against New Zealand before being outclassed in the final quarter.

“What I want to see more than anything is us standing for something, us taking our game to them and learning some lessons from last week,” he said.

“There’s a lot that needs to be better as far as accuracy is concerned and detail-wise, but our intent in how we play the game, we need a reaction to that.”