Bealham cleared to face Boks, Sheehan and Conan to be given every chance to prove fitness

FIT AND FIRING: Finlay Bealham of Ireland during the 2023 Rugby World Cup Pool B match between Ireland and Tonga. Pic: Brendan Moran/Sportsfile

Ireland will give Dan Sheehan and Jack Conan every chance to prove their fitness for Saturday’s crunch World Cup pool clash with South Africa but Finlay Bealham has been cleared to face the Springboks at Stade de France.

The injured forward trio were all doubts for the Pool B showdown with the world champions with hooker Sheehan and No.8 Conan returning to full training in recent days following pre-season injuries while prop Bealham failed a Head Injury Assessment in Ireland’s 59-16 victory over Tonga in Nantes last Saturday.

The good news for Irish supporters is that Bealham, Tadhg Furlong’s back-up at tighthead, has been given the green light for selection in Paris this weekend and assistant coach John Fogarty on Tuesday reported the Sheehan and Conan would be further assessed as to their availability following Wednesday’s training session at Stade de la Chambrerie.

“Everyone is on the field today, Jack is doing bits and pieces today, he didn’t do a full blooded one, but he’s on the field and he’s going to do a little bit more tomorrow,” Fogarty said of Conan. “Maybe managed as a returning player but a full bill of health.

“At this moment in time he’s taken part in training, what I mean was he’s done bits and pieces, he’ll do more tomorrow and it’s then a decision to see how he is. He’s getting monitored like any returning player, he’s up for selection.” 

Scrum coach Fogarty welcomed back first-choice hooker Sheehan to set-piece training with open arms on Tuesday and said: “Well I saw him in a scrum today. I was very delighted to see him in a scrum, we did some timing in our scrums, some drop ins, and Dan took part, it’s great to see him back involved.

“Again, he’s a player that is returning so there is a bit more we’ll see before tomorrow and we’ll see how he is.” 

On Bealham, Fogarty added: “He was obviously taken off the field at the weekend and failed at the weekend but he subsequently passed his tests. He’s perfect.

“He was in a scrum today and he’s good to go, symptom-free, our medics and World Rugby have cleared him fit to play. We’re delighted to have a full bill of health.” 

The Ireland assistant described a heightened sense of anticipation in the camp for Saturday’s clash between the two top-ranking teams in World Rugby but said no one was getting ahead of themselves.

“There is definitely an edge, it’s an exciting week to be involved in, this competition so far has been brilliant. We’ve felt the support from France and our travelling supporters in Bordeaux and Nantes was amazing.

“Everyone wants to be in the starting XV and be in the matchday 23 so competition for places is right up there. To be playing in the world champions in Paris is incredibly exciting so there is definitely an edge.

“There is a tendency sometimes to want to get to the end of the week quickly, but today was about understanding the plan, understanding South Africa, how we’re going to impose our game on top of them.

“We’re going to play the game on Saturday but we need to make sure we stay exactly where we are now, excited for sure but our games faces are on.

The same applied to the Irish management under head coach Andy Farrell, Fogarty added.

“It matters doesn’t it? I think we’re clear as a group, we’re clear in our heads as a group. It’s something we have no problem having difficult conversations but we’re clear in our heads what the plan is and who is going to carry out that plan.

“You mention competition and we’re so lucky we’ve got a strong group of players, that is something Andy has developed when he first came in. He was adamant we needed to develop a big squad, we needed to develop across the pitch, and it’s not easy to pick a side, we’ve got real options but that sharpens us as a group of coaches. For sure the players are going to be ready.”