Gibson-Park backs 'hugely popular' Bealham to go well on Lions tour

Finlay Bealham was called up to the Lions squad in place of the injured Zander Ferguson. 

Finlay Bealham at a Lions gym session in Dublin on Monday. Pic: ©INPHO/Dan Sheridan

Jamison Gibson-Park backed Finlay Bealham to step up for the British & Irish Lions after the Ireland prop was drafted into the touring party for Australia as a replacement for injured Scotsman Zander Ferguson.

Fagerson, named by head coach Andy Farrell in his initial 38-man squad on May 8, has been unable to shake off a calf injury he picked up in April and was on Monday ruled out of the tour. That opened the door for Connacht and Ireland tighthead Bealham to become Ireland’s 16th player selected for the 2025 Lions and he will be one of four non-Leinster representatives alongside Munster’s Tadhg Beirne and Connacht team-mates Bundee Aki and Mack Hansen leaving Dublin for a six-day training camp in Portugal on Tuesday. They form part of a 24-man squad preparing for the pre-tour match against Argentina at a sold-out Aviva Stadium on Friday, June 20.