Bealham can go to 'another level' as Furlong backup

Finlay Bealham at the Ireland Captain's Run at Aviva Stadium. Pic: INPHO/Billy Stickland

Finlay Bealham has been urged to prove his worth as Tadhg Furlong’s replacement in the Ireland front row when New Zealand come to Aviva Stadium on Friday night.

The 33-year-old Connacht tighthead prop is set to earn his 43rd Ireland cap as he bids to beat the All Blacks for the fifth time in his Test career, with first-choice Furlong unavailable due to a hamstring strain.

Ireland captain Caelan Doris on Thursday referenced Bealham’s pivotal role during the 2023 Six Nations Grand Slam campaign when he deputised for the absent Furlong and started in the opening three rounds, victories over Italy, France and Wales before he was himself forced out through injury for the final two rounds against Scotland and England.

“I think was it 2023 when Tadhg was gone for the majority of the Grand Slam Six Nations and Finlay was unbelievable,” Doris said at his captain’s press conference at Aviva Stadium. “He took his performances to another level and I think he’s stayed there pretty consistently off the bench when Tadgh’s there or starting in his absence. Yeah, we’re looking forward to seeing that from him tomorrow.” 

Head coach Andy Farrell had endorsed Bealham’s credentials on Wednesday and said of the tighthead: “He's constantly stepped up, and certainly as far as his main job, the set-piece is concerned, he's constantly stepped up and he's always been one that's been really trusted as well.

“Tadhg is obviously a world class operator, Finlay has sat in behind that and pushed him hard and now is his chance to show it from the start.” 

Farrell watched New Zealand’s pack win a series of crucial scrums in their victory over England at Twickenham last week and with both first-choice hooker Dan Sheehan and Furlong injured he asked how confident he was that the set-piece had improved from some shaky moments against South Africa during the summer Test series.

“I suppose we'll see, we'll see on Friday night. But it's something that we've spoken about a lot and been talking a lot about and worked unbelievably hard over the last 12 days to have as good a set-piece as you possibly can.

“If you look at it in its importance to the story of the match, I think their scrum got them back in the game last week when the substitutes came on, so it just goes to show how important it's going to be in every top class game.”