Finlay Bealham Explained

Finlay Bealham
Fullname:Finlay Harry Bealham
Birth Date:9 October 1991
Birth Place:Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
Height:1.880NaN0
Weight:1180NaN0
School:St. Edmund's College
Relatives:Gordon Ferris (great-uncle)
Position:Prop
Currentclub:Connacht
Years1:2014–
Clubs1:Connacht
Apps1:185
Points1:95
Repyears1:2011
Repteam1:Ireland U20
Repcaps1:4
Reppoints1:0
Repyears2:2015–
Repteam2:Emerging Ireland
Repcaps2:2
Reppoints2:5
Repyears3:2016–
Repteam3:Ireland
Repcaps3:41
Reppoints3:15
Clubupdate:20 March 2023
Repupdate:6 July 2024

Finlay Harry Bealham (born 9 October 1991) is a professional rugby union player who plays as a prop for United Rugby Championship club Connacht. Born in Australia, he represents Ireland at international level after qualifying on ancestry grounds.

Early life

Bealham grew up in Canberra. He attended St Edmund's College in the city. He played rugby league at a young age before concentrating solely on union from the age of 16. Following his participation in the 2006 NSW State Champion U15 team, where he shared the field with his schoolmate Colby Fianga.

Despite being selected for the Australian schools side and representing their 'A' side, Bealham was not given a spot in the Brumbies academy and instead moved to Ireland to start his professional career.

Bealham represents at international level, qualifying to play for them through his grandmother from Enniskillen in Northern Ireland. Through his grandmother, Bealham is related to Northern Irish heavyweight boxer Gordon Ferris.

Club career

Bealham moved to Ireland in 2010 and initially played in his grandmother's native province of Ulster with the amateur side, Belfast Harlequins. Following the 2011 Junior World Cup, he was offered a place in the academy of Connacht, another province. Moving to the new province also meant moving clubs, with Bealham joining Galway Corinthians. Bealham was promoted from the sub-academy to the full academy ahead of the 2012–13 season.[1]

While in the academy Bealham played for the province's second-tier side, the Connacht Eagles. Bealham made his full debut for Connacht in the 2013–14 Pro12 on 23 February 2014. He came on from the bench away to Italian side Zebre, replacing Denis Buckley at loosehead on the 74 minute mark.[2] Bealham went on to make a further five replacement appearances in the Pro12 that season.[3] In April 2014, it was announced that Bealham had signed a professional contract with the province to last until summer 2015, making him a full member of Connacht's senior squad.[4]

In the 2014–15 season Bealham was moved from loosehead to play tighthead by Connacht forwards coach Dan McFarland.[5] Despite the change, he continued to play regularly for the side, as he had at the end of the previous season. Bealham made his European debut on 6 December 2014, coming on from the bench in the home game to Bayonne in the Challenge Cup pool stages.[6] He made his first start in the reverse fixture the following week.[7] Bealham made his first league start on 26 December 2014 against Ulster.[8] During the course of the season he played 15 games in the 2014–15 Pro12,[3] and made a total of five appearances in the Challenge Cup.[9] He also featured in Connacht's final game of the season, a play-off against Gloucester which they lost 40–32 after extra time.[10] During the course of the season, Bealham signed a new two-year deal to keep him with the province until summer 2017.[11]

Bealham was again a key part of Connacht's squad for the 2015–16 season, being the only player to feature in all 31 of the team's games in the league and in Europe.[12] He started 13 of these games, and scored his first try for the team against Munster on 16 April 2016.[3] [9] [13] On 28 May 2016, Bealham started in the Pro12 Grand Final as Connacht won 20–10 against Irish rivals and reigning champions Leinster to claim the team's first major trophy in their 121-year history.[14]

Ahead of the 2016–17 season, Bealham signed a contract extension to keep him in Galway until 2019.[15] With the retirement of Nathan White, he came into the season as Connacht's first choice tighthead.[16] Bealham played 19 of the team's 22 games in the 2016–17 Pro12, starting all but six,[3] and featured in all seven of the side's European games for the season.[9] He continued to be a key player for Connacht in the following season and made his 100th appearance for the side on 16 February 2018 against Zebre[17] In October 2018, Bealham signed another extension to his Connacht deal, this time extending to the end of the 2020–21 season.[18] Bealham was named to the 2022–23 URC Elite XV of the year, his second domestic team of the year achievement.[19]

International career

Bealham was selected to play for the Australian schools team in 2009. He featured for the team's 'A' side against Tonga and New Zealand.[5] [20]

After becoming aware of his qualification to play for Ireland, Bealham became involved in the country's youth set-up through the Irish Exiles program. He made his debut for Ireland Under-20s against Italy in the 2011 Six Nations Under 20s Championship.[21] Later that year, Bealham was part of the Irish squad for the 2011 IRB Junior World Championship.[22] He made a total of four appearances for the side, three of these coming as a replacement.[23]

Bealham was part of the Emerging Ireland squad for the 2015 Tbilisi Cup.[24] He played in two of the team's fixtures, replacing Stephen Archer in the games against Emerging Italy and Georgia, scoring a try in the latter.[25] [26]

In January 2016, Bealham was called up to Ireland's squad for the Six Nations to replace the injured Marty Moore.[27] After Cian Healy injured his hamstring, Bealham was promoted to the bench for the game against Italy.[28] On 12 March 2016, 65 minutes into the game, he replaced Jack McGrath for his debut.[29] Bealham was named in the Irish squad for the team's 2016 tour to South Africa, where he was named on the bench for all three tests, coming on as a 59th minute replacement for Tadhg Furlong in the second.[30] [31]

Bealham had been due to play in the first test of the 2022 Ireland rugby union tour of New Zealand at Eden Park in Auckland on 2 July but COVID-19 meant he could not.[32]

Honours

Connacht
Ireland
Individual

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Connacht Academy Boasts New Recruits . . 5 April 2015 . 30 July 2012.
  2. Web site: Pro12: Zebre 19-27 Connacht . . 5 April 2015 . 23 February 2014.
  3. Web site: Player Profile: Finlay Bealham . .
  4. Web site: Connacht Reward Five Players With New Deals . . 5 April 2015 . 16 April 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150410154246/http://www.irishrugby.ie/mobile/news/31570.php . 10 April 2015 . dead .
  5. Web site: 'Giving up rugby league was a gamble but it paid off' . . 11 March 2016 . 6 February 2015.
  6. Web site: Five-Try Triumph Sees Connacht Maintain Unbeaten Home Run . . 11 March 2016 . 6 December 2014.
  7. Web site: Connacht fight back to stun Bayonne . . 11 March 2016 . 13 December 2014.
  8. Web site: Gilroy gets Ulster over the line against Connacht . . 11 March 2016 . 26 December 2014 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20150926045703/http://www.pro12rugby.com/matchcentre/16340.php#gP8ZcEcsmTHDewH3.99 . 26 September 2015 . dmy-all .
  9. Web site: Player: Finlay Bealham. .
  10. Web site: Champions Cup play-off: Gloucester 40-32 Connacht . . 11 March 2016 . 24 May 2015.
  11. Web site: Connacht Props Pen New Two-Year Deals . . 5 April 2015 . 20 January 2015.
  12. Web site: Bealham signs three-year contract extension . . 19 August 2016 . 21 August 2016.
  13. Web site: 'It was my first meat pie for Connacht' - Bealham flourishing up front for Lam's men . . 17 April 2016 . 21 August 2016.
  14. Web site: Connacht make history with epic victory over Leinster in Pro 12 final . . 28 May 2016 . 21 August 2016.
  15. Web site: Bealham signs contract extension to 2019 with Connacht Rugby . . 19 August 2016 . 21 August 2016.
  16. Web site: Ireland international White forced to retire from rugby after concussion injury . . 28 September 2016 . 28 September 2016.
  17. Web site: Bowe back for Ulster, 100 caps for Connacht's Bealham . . 15 February 2018 . 19 February 2018.
  18. Web site: Finlay Bealham signs contract extension with Connacht . . 25 October 2018 . 9 May 2019.
  19. Web site: URC Awards: 2022/23 Elite XV Has Been Named . United Rugby . 15 May 2023.
  20. Web site: Australia A Schools 2009 player Finlay Bealham called into Ireland Six Nations . Australian Schools Rugby . 27 January 2016 . 20 August 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160820195041/http://www.schoolsrugby.com.au/2016/news/australia-a-schools-2009-player-finlay-bealham-called-into-ireland-six-nations/ . 20 August 2016 . dead .
  21. Web site: Young Exiles Named In Ireland U-20 Team . . 5 April 2015 . 10 February 2011.
  22. Web site: Ireland U-20 Squad Named For Junior World Championship . . 5 April 2015 . 25 May 2011.
  23. Web site: Ireland Under Squad Profiles: Finlay Bealham . . 5 April 2015 . 26 June 2011.
  24. Web site: Emerging Ireland Squad Named For Tbilisi Cup . . 11 March 2016 . 19 May 2015.
  25. Web site: Emerging Ireland Off The Mark With Bonus Point Win . . 11 March 2016 . 13 June 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150617220744/http://www.irishrugby.ie/rugby/fixturesandresults/34807.php . 17 June 2015 . dead .
  26. Web site: Billy Holland scare mars Irish win . . 11 March 2016 . 22 June 2015.
  27. Web site: Finlay Bealham called up for injured Marty Moore but Johnny Sexton fears ease . . 11 March 2016 . 25 January 2016.
  28. Web site: Finlay Bealham ready to step up to the plate as Cian Healy ruled out . . 11 March 2016 . 11 March 2016.
  29. Web site: Rampant Ireland cut loose to crush Italians . . 12 March 2016 . 12 March 2016.
  30. Web site: Two Uncapped Players Named For Summer Tour . . 25 May 2016 . 21 August 2016.
  31. Web site: Heartbreak for Ireland as Springboks come back from the dead to level series . . 18 June 2016 . 21 August 2016.
  32. News: Irish badly wounded as Covid and concussions bite – but Sexton tipped to make second All Blacks test. Sunday Independent. Brendan. Fanning. 3 July 2022. 3 July 2022. Ireland's problems were further compounded when Finlay Bealham was ruled out before the game with Covid. Tom O'Toole took his place on the bench and Farrell was forced to call on former Leinster and Ireland prop Michael Bent as cover..