NO PAIN NO BANE
Unmuzzled Finlay to get teeth into France
NAMING his dog Bane after Batman’s adversary is an indication Finlay Bealham is different gravy.
But you need a certain type of personality to fill Tadhg Furlong’s boots – and ‘complete freak’ Bealham must prove for the second time in a week he’s the man for the job.
The Connacht tighthead made his Ireland debut during the 2016 Six
Nations but didn’t make his first championship start until last Saturday.
In the absence of
Furlong (inset), whose return from a calf injury has been pushed back until after Ireland’s clash with France, Bealham anchored the scrum well.
“Tadhg’s a world class tighthead, probably the best in the world and he’s a British and Irish Lion,” said the 31-year-old.
“There’s a bit of pressure to try to take off where he left it. But I just play the way I play.
“It’s important to have two tightheads and it’s rare a tighthead plays 80 minutes so I still felt like I’ve had a really important role coming off the bench.
“To get a start, I was buzzing for it. It’s something that I’ve been striving and craving for.
“But all week in my head I was, ‘play the game, not the occasion, just do my thing’. Fortunately I came out on the right side of it.”
The French forwards should be a tougher proposition than the Welsh pack – but have a lot of improving to do after almost losing in Rome on Sunday.
“They’re big and have a lot of weight in there,” Bealham said.
“We’ll have to be properly on it. If you’re not against big packs like that, you’ll be getting the reverse lights.” The Canberra man will take the week in his stride – he is happy to go his own weird way.
“Well, that’s just what Pete O’mahony and a few of the other boys say,” grinned Bealham.
“I met (sports psychologist) Gary Keegan last night and they’re all slagging me saying, ‘You have your work cut out with Finlay, he’s a complete freak!’.”
Owning Bane adds to the reputation.
“You know when people say a dog is like its owner, he’s a French mastiff and he’s 70 kilos,” Bealham laughed.
“He drools and slobbers everywhere. I always tell Sarah (his wife) I don’t know how she puts up with the two of us because I’d be a bit of a character and a bit weird.
“Bane is equally as weird and she’s quite normal, so it’s yin and yang.
“He actually looks like Bane. The bane of our lives. I couldn’t put the muzzle on because he’s so big and people wouldn’t be afraid of him, but he’s a specimen of a yoke.
“So if I had a big muzzle on him, it would probably draw more negative attention to him. He’s a big teddy bear. On Friday night, he was up in the bedroom minding Sarah, the two of them held down the fort.
“I can put the head down, not be worrying about the ship back home.”