Finlay Bealham: 'Some people are different in their own individual ways'

Andy Farrell has allowed the Irish players to be themselves so that they can bring their best to the table and his policy still continues in his abscence. 

INDIVIDUALITY: Andy Farrell's openness policy allowes players to be their authentic self so they can play at their best. Picture:  ©INPHO/Andrew Conan

For anyone concerned that Ireland’s effectiveness as a Guinness Six Nations title contender is diminished in the absence of Andy Farrell, Finlay Bealham’s account of life in camp is instructive.

Farrell’s involvement in the 2025 championship will be strictly neutral given he has a British & Irish Lions squad to select from the cream of the four contributing nations but in truth, his impact on the Irish squad has been such that his actual presence among them is no longer essential, or so it would appear.

Through Bealham’s eyes as he prepares to face England on Saturday evening in his continuing role as stand-in for injured tighthead prop Tadhg Furlong, the spirit of openness and inclusivity fostered by Farrell since his promotion to head coach in 2019 allows every squad member to be themselves, however “weird” to use the Connacht forward’s word, that may be.

“From day one, it's just an expectation to be yourself and bring what you've got to the table,” Bealham said earlier this week as Ireland wrapped up their warm-weather preparation camp in Portugal.

“Some people are different in their own individual ways, and some live in the awkward and some are a bit weird, but it's a great bunch of players and coaches and managers we have. There's such a special bond we have. It's truly special.” 

Of course, Bealham’s embracing of the weird invites further inquiry as to who is the weirdest in the squad but the 46-cap prop is not prepared to divulge.

“There are so many weird people. Pete (O’Mahony) was saying the last day, he thinks he's one of the most normal in the team and he got shut down very quick. Pete is a weirdo.

“I couldn't say, there's too many.

"We have a really good environment here. Faz obviously isn't here now but he encourages everyone to come in from day one and be yourself. I don't know if I'd show up to my first day in wrestling gear, maybe don't do that, but you try to be yourself as much as you can and all the lads are good craic. We welcome all the weirdness with open arms."

Bealham’s mention of wrestling gear was no random flight of ideas, the 33-year-old is big grapple fan and found a fellow spirit in the squad in scrum-half Craig Casey, who misses this Six Nations due to injury.

There are suggestions the pair donned the costumes of their favourite protagonists for an exhibition fight during November’s Autumn Nations Series but the prop neither confirms nor denies the rumour.

"Craig and I are both big fans of wrestling. I was a different era to him. I was kind of the late '90s, early 2000s and he's a bit newer so we've trying to blend our favourite wrestlers together. It's been something we've had to work at.

“But sometimes maybe for the lads, it's not me, but some masked wrestlers might come in and put on a little show. The lads seem to like it but, again, I don't know who those wrestling superstars are."

Bealham may or may not like to imitate favourites of his like the Undertaker or Stone Cold Steve Austin but that is where the crossover between wrestling and scrummaging end.

“Maybe just my long hair, because wrestlers have long hair,” he said. “Other than that, I'm trying to think... I've never seen a wrestler do a scrum entry. Maybe one day we might see that, from a masked wrestler, who is unknown to us.” 

When the conversation does turn to rugby, Bealham is acutely aware of the stiff challenge awaiting the Ireland pack at Aviva Stadium on Saturday.

“I think England have a really strong scrum, after watching them in the autumn series. They scrummed really well against New Zealand, Australia and South Africa.

“They've always had a really well-drilled scrum, but over the autumn they looked really impressive. We'll get through a good body of week this week and meet them in the weekend.

“It would obviously be vital to get up and running properly this weekend. England at home, first game of the Six Nations, there is no added need for motivation. The lads know that task in front of us. England have been performing really well and we have had a good block of training and look forward to the weekend.”