Bealham set for South Africa tour fresh from Connacht contract extension

STAYING PUT: Finlay Bealham of Connacht and Ireland. Pic: Brendan Moran/Sportsfile

Prop Finlay Bealham, who has just signed a contract extension which will keep him at the Sportsground until the summer of 2026, looks like being the only one of Connacht’s three World Cup players who will head with them to South Africa in a couple of weeks to take on the Sharks and the Bulls.

Bealham will return to Connacht along with Bundee Aki and Mack Hansen next Monday after a three-week break post-World Cup but the two backs, who chalked up more game-time in France, look like being given a longer spell to work their way back into duty for the province.

Bealham’s contract extension comes hot on the heels of Aki committing his future to Connacht until the summer of 2025, with Hansen previously nailed down to them as well.

Head coach Pete Wilkins said that Bealham’s new deal was another welcome boost, not least as the prop had come through the ranks after taking a punt leaving Australia to try carve out a professional career in his grandparents’ native land, joining the Connacht academy in 2010 after being spotted by Nigel Carolan.

The 32-year old made the first of 189 appearances for Connacht in 2014, making his Irish debut off the bench against Italy in the 2016 Six Nations before helping Connacht win the league title that season.

Wilkins reckons that the next step for Bealham is to gain more starts for Ireland, having made 26 of his 36 Irish appearances off the bench.

“It’s a massive boost. Finlay’s story in terms of moving to Ireland battling away to forge a professional career through Connacht and then the international recognition he has had with Ireland on the back of it, is fantastic.

“He’s a tighthead in the prime years of his career and it shows he believes in the journey we are on as well. He’s established himself in the Irish set-up and you see that when he comes back to Connacht, he has more of a presence and he’s not afraid to drive standards and share his thoughts on the game.

“I still think there is growth in him. The more he has played for Ireland the more he has established himself in that environment and proving to people he has got what it takes at the top level and the next stage for him would obviously to be starting more regularly for Ireland and getting that responsibility. 

"There’s a pretty good guy starting when Finlay is on the bench, we respect that, but as those international minutes for him I think you will see him go on to another level,” said Wilkins.

Connacht face Ulster this Saturday before their first away game of the season in Edinburgh and after that they head to South Africa. 

Wilkins and his management team haven’t finalised the travelling squad but Bealham is likely to feature with Hansen and Aki continuing their preparation back in Galway.

“The three guys are back in the building next Monday after their three weeks of leave stipulated by the IRFU. 

"For Finlay, there is no injury rehab required or anything like so I’d say he will train with us in Edinburgh week, whether or not that’s too soon for him to be selected for Edinburgh we will have to wait and see.

“With Mack and Bundee it really depends on what degree of rehab they have to do with the bumps and bruises coming out of the World Cup campaign. At this stage we’d be looking for Finlay to come to Africa and the other two will be a wait-and-see and it just depends on the number of weeks they need to get back,” added Wilkins.

He is boosted by the availability of skipper Jack Carty for the first derby of the season on Saturday night against Ulster after recovering from a facial injury, while full-back John Porch is available for his first action of the season after shaking off a groin issue.