Today Finlay Bealham is shooting the breeze and thinking out loud about his place in rugby life. The subject is how 10 became 20 and how 20 has become 50. Tomorrow’s match against France will mark the 50th cap for the Irish tighthead prop.
Bealham stepped into the frontrow starting position the moment Tadhg Furlong limped home from Quinta do Lago with a calf injury back in January and he admits that his surge in numbers has taken him a little bit of getting used to.
Bealham became of interest to Joe Schmidt in January 2016 when he was called up to Ireland’s squad for the Six Nations to replace the injured Marty Moore.
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In March of that year, he replaced Jack McGrath to make his Irish debut against Italy. Sweet, but even then his ambitions were not exactly blazing.
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But in this year’s championship Bealham has started at tighthead prop against England and Scotland in the opening two games and came off the bench for Tom Clarkson against Wales.
“I was thinking about this recently,” he says. “There was probably a time where I was thinking, ‘Jeez, I may only get 10 caps’. You get to 10 and then you’re like, ‘I’ll just try get to 20’, and then fast forward, on the verge of getting 50. Like I said it’s really special to see the calibre of players that have gone and got 50 themselves. To have myself getting 50 is something that I’m truly honoured to do and something I value very much.”
For a lot of the time in those early years, Bealham felt that he was more on the periphery of the Irish squad than at the core. It wasn’t anything the other players did or said but a feeling within, which had as much to do with confidence, a sense of belonging and probably inexperience.
A turning point was a tour to the southern hemisphere almost three years ago, where Ireland won the series against the All Blacks.
“If I’d put my finger on it, probably around 2022, towards the back end of the Six Nations,” he says of the turning point. “I played England there. I had my parents there and that whole season, when we went to New Zealand, won that series, and to be a part of those games ...
“I don’t know if I’ve ever felt 100 per cent comfortable, if that’s the word. But I felt from that moment on like a real part of the group. I knew what was expected of me, what I expect of myself and how I fit into what we’re trying to do. If I had to guess, I’d say it would be around then. But you’re always evolving and trying to get better.”
There is a maturity to Bealham now and a greater sense of responsibility, which has come with beginning games and being involved in big matches that Ireland have won. He has also managed to stay healthy for an extended period and has faced almost all the best frontrow players in world rugby. These days he faces few surprises.
“Probably up there, yeah, if I was being honest,” he says when asked whether he is now playing his best. “I’ve had some really good moments over the years. I suppose it was unfortunate for Tadhg, but it was a good opportunity for me coming into this campaign and getting good gametime.
“Just being in the thick of it, being part of driving the bus, in terms of the scrum stuff. Working with the likes of Ports [Andrew Porter], Sheeno [Dan Sheehan], Ro [Kelleher], the younger boys like Tom Clarkson and Jack Boyle, getting to know them. It’s been class.”
He knows this weekend will be another examination of the scrum. The French are scrum nerds and they are big. Tighthead prop Uini Atonio, hooker Petea Mauvaka and Jean-Baptiste Gros make the front row challenge one of the sub-narratives of Saturday’s match and must be an area Ireland contest strongly. Against Wales there were issues, with Porter and Clarkson each incurring two scrum penalties.
There were a few befuddled Irish faces and shaking heads as referee Christophe Ridley called against Ireland, with the resulting scrum penalties instantly converted into an attacking Welsh lineouts.
“I’m focused on just doing my job,” Bealham says. “Obviously set piece is a big one, France have an unbelievable set piece. Then around the pitch they have some unbelievable forwards that are physical and then backs that can tear you to shreds.
“It’s being aware of what they can do, they’re world class at what they do and it’s making sure we’re all together on the same page.”
His parents, Andrea and Roy, are flying in for the match from Australia. Why not for 50 caps and still scrumming down.
