Tadhg Beirne admits he will find it hard to say goodbye to the Scarlets at the end of the season – but he has no regrets over his decision.

The Irish second row forward will join Munster this summer in a bid to realise his international ambitions – leaving a team who are setting Europe ablaze at present and in which he has become one of their key ignition points.

In less than two seasons at Pace Y Scarlets, the 26-year-old has become something of a folk hero, vowing fans with his work rate and handling skills, not to mention the outrageous side-step that bewildered England and Lions wing Anthony Watson at Bath last week.

Scarlets fans cannot believe how good he is and why Ireland have chosen to leave him out of their Six Nations squad. Supporters at Leinster, where he struggled to break through before crossing the Irish Sea, cannot believe it is the same player.

But Beirne’s decision to go home means Saturday’s key European Champions Cup tie at home to Toulon could be one of a handful he has left to play for the club.

“I will be really sad leaving, because I’ve had a great time and made some great mates over here,” says Beirne.

“In fact, I’ll be gutted. I knew when I was singing for Munster that it was a really, really difficult decision. But in terms of my ambition to play for Ireland, it was a rugby decision I had to make.”

As an Irishman abroad, Beirne is in the same boat as Welsh players based in England or France with less than 60 caps – caught by rules intended to make Test players stay in the domestic game, although Ireland have a history of making occasional exceptions as they did for Johnny Sexton when he was in France.

“It has been said to me that I am abroad, so I have to go home and play for Ireland. I’m going home next season, so maybe that might be a reason for them to pick me.”

Beirne played a major part in last season’s surge to the Guinness Pro14 title by the Scarlets, but he considers that both he, and the team, have developed again since then.

That is why he rates last week’s stunning bonus point destruction of Bath at The Rec as even more impressive than lifting last year’s silverware.

“Last week was one of those nights that was pretty special and something I will always treasure.

“We went there with a mentality to defend well and play the way we like to play. We showed how good we were last year, but last Friday was the closest we’ve come to getting everything exactly right.”

As for that side-step, he adds: “I have been taking lessons from Steff Evans, but he’ll have to watch me, now.

“It was one of those moments. I saw the space, went for it, and I was pretty chuffed. My ankles are okay, but I was a bit surprised my knee didn’t give way.

“It was a great night, but now we have to finish the job against Toulon. They are a massive club, with a massive history and it will need another huge performance from us.”

With Jamie Heaslip, Rhys Ruddock and Sean O’Brien all struggling for fitness, Beirne could have offered Ireland back row cover for the Six Nations as well as his all-action style as a second row.

Scarlets coach Wayne Pivac can’t understand why fellow Kiwi, Schmidt has not made Beirne an exception to their rule already and says: “I’ve been very pleased with him. It is fantastic to see the way he is playing and it is very disappointing he is leaving.

“He is going to be a hard act to follow. If he moves back to Ireland and gains international experience then we will take great pride in that — maybe we will see him back here one day.

“His improvement hasn’t happened by accident. It is credit to our coaching staff and it is all about drills, drills and more drills aligned to what we take into the game.

“When he came to us his catch-pass was poor and he has worked very, very hard. The try he was involved in against Bath, and the general game he had, showed his performances have gone through the roof.”