Ireland prop Finlay Bealham to miss rest of Six Nations with knee injury

By Ed Elliot, PA

Ireland prop Finlay Bealham has been ruled out of the remainder of the Six Nations with a knee injury sustained in Saturday’s win over Italy.

The 31-year-old Connacht forward was forced off in the first half of his country’s 34-20 success in Rome and replaced by Tom O’Toole.

Bealham has started each of Ireland’s three matches in the tournament so far and his loss is a major blow to Andy Farrell, who has been without first-choice tighthead Tadhg Furlong due to a calf problem.

🤕 Wishing Finlay a speedy recovery as a 27-player Ireland squad reassembles in Dublin this week to begin preparations for the trip to Murrayfield.#TeamOfUs | #GuinnessSixNations

— Irish Rugby (@IrishRugby) February 27, 2023

Speaking about Bealham immediately after victory over the Azzurri, head coach Farrell said: “He twisted his knee, obviously he went down straight away, which says something doesn’t it?

“He tried his best to fight on. He’s in a brace there in the changing room, he says he’s fine but he always says that.”

Furlong will this week be involved in Ireland’s two-day training camp and is in contention to return in the round-four clash with Scotland on March 12th, with O’Toole on standby for only a second Test start.

Farrell offered a positive injury update on a host of absentees following the weekend win at Stadio Olimpico, which kept the Irish on course for the Grand Slam.

Bealham aside, his optimism was echoed by a statement from the Irish Rugby Football Union on Monday afternoon.

In addition to Furlong, captain Johnny Sexton (groin), centres Garry Ringrose (calf) and Robbie Henshaw (wrist) and scrum-half Jamison Gibson-Park (hamstring) have been named in this week’s training group with a view to being ready for Murrayfield.

Ringrose was initially selected to face Italy before withdrawing on the eve of the game.