SLIMLINE BEALHAM HAS BOUNCE BACK
FINLAY BEALHAM has admitted he found his Ireland exclusion ‘upsetting’, but reacted by making the changes necessary to win back Joe Schmidt’s favour. The Connacht prop will win his ninth cap at tighthead against the USA tomorrow, and only his second as a starter. More significant is his return to the Test game this season after failing to win a cap last season. The 22 minutes he appeared off the bench against Italy in Soldier Field at the start of this month was his first time wearing the Ireland jersey since the November window in 2016. In that time, Andrew Porter has emerged as a staggering powerhouse at Leinster, but Bealham is back in contention for World Cup consideration. ‘Obviously I haven’t been involved for the last 18 months or so which was a bit upsetting,’ he said at the Ireland team base yesterday, after Joe Schmidt announced his side to take on the Americans. ‘I have had to have a look at myself in the mirror and focus on things that I can do, make little changes all over, just consider where I was then and where I could improve, make one per cent changes in all these different areas. ‘I’ve just had a good look in the mirror and focused on what I can do and then if I can put good performances together for Connacht, then hopefully I can get myself back in the frame to get selected again.’ His form with the province has been behind his bounce back, Bealham thriving as part of the general lift Connacht have received under the coaching of Andy Friend. But the player took specific measures himself to get into fighting shape for more Test caps. ‘A few years ago I was really concerned with what body weight I was playing at,’ he said. ‘At one stage, I was playing at 124 kilos and I was really struggling around the pitch, although I felt reasonably good at scrum time. So my bounce around the pitch was pretty poor because I was carrying all this excess weight and, to be honest, it wasn’t good weight for me. ‘I was a bit heavier around the midriff. I have slimmed down a lot. I am at 117 or 118 kilos now and I feel way better around the pitch. I have more energy and I can bring more to the game. ‘I don’t feel too bad in scrum time as well so I am lighter, I am more energetic and I can provide more for the team.’