Leaving Leinster may have been one of the toughest choices that Tadhg Beirne has had to make, but as the Scarlets lock basked in the glory of this evening’s Guinness Pro12 final victory over Munster, the Kildare native admitted that it was the "best decision of my career".
The 24-year-old lock, once again, starred for his new team as the Llanelli outfit romped past Munster 46-22 at the Aviva Stadium with Beirne playing an instrumental role as the Welsh side scored four tries within the opening 32 minutes.
Beirne was on hand to touch down for that fourth try as he outmuscles several Munster forwards to bulldoze his way across the line to score.
"Unbelieveable, incredible, I can’t believe it. Pro12 champion," said Beirne, as he tried to explain his emotions shortly after the final whistle, talking to RTE Sport pitchside at the Aviva.
An unbelieveable feeling, perhaps, but the former Leinster man was never in doubt of the potential of his side to secure such a victory, and Beirne puts it down to the team spirit within the entire squad and all around the club.
"It’s the camaraderie, from 1 to 50 in that club, it’s the unity within each other, it’s the belief," Beirne added.
"We are out there playing for one another and we didn’t doubt for one second that we couldn’t win tonight.
"We ran away with a few early tries but we knew we could play and we knew if we could spread the ball we could score a few tries. Turnover ball is our biggest thing and we dominted there and we got the reward for it."
Beirne managed a mere handful of appearances for Leinster throughout the 2015-16 season and while the 24-year-old admitted it was a brave decision to leave the Dublin-based club, he acknowleged that he would not have been playing at this level had he remained in Donnybrook.
"Brave decision," said Beirne. "But the best decision of my career. I wouldn’t have been playing if I stayed at Leinster.
"I came to the Scarlets with the hope of getting some game time. I didn’t get it at the start.
"I got an opportunity, I took it and I started more or less every game since and now I’m a Pro12 champion."
