FINLAY BEALHAM HAS credited Tadhg Furlong for the upturn in his form, three days on from the greatest day of his career.
While Bealham has had good moments in an Irish shirt before – the wins over New Zealand being obvious ones, a try against England earlier this year being another – Saturday was more personal.
Forced into action for 40 minutes against the world’s most formidable scrummaging side, he delivered. And he wasn’t shy about crediting Furlong, who doubles up as tutor and rival, for helping him deliver such a sound display.
Bealham said: “Tadhg’s been very good to me. I work a lot with him in terms of reviewing training and preparation, just kind of bouncing ideas off him, learning from him as best as I can and asking him questions about what he could do better if he was me.
“We catch up most nights and sit down for an hour and go through training, go through scrums, and just bounce ideas off each other and have a really good conversation about things. I’m very thankful to him for letting me (learn so much).”
What Andy Farrell learned on Saturday was that Bealham can be trusted against the best. Does the tighthead now feel he has proved himself to the wider rugby public? “I don’t know, I just focus on what I can do, and work really hard at that and try and improve myself and improve my game as much as I can.
“I wouldn’t heed too much attention about the outside stuff, I just keep my focus pretty narrow and in the moment.”
Cian Healy, his Ireland colleague, was far from shy about extolling Bealham’s virtues, saying: “I’ve seen the progression over a long period with Finlay and have felt it having to go against him in scrums, and then his play around the park, he’s become one of the cogs that makes it all work pretty well.
“He’s been a natural fit, it doesn’t look like he’s trying to do something that isn’t his style, he’s just a natural and it’s really good to see.”
Although realistic about his status as Furlong’s back-up, Bealham also made it clear he has ambitions. “You are always pushing to be the best version of yourself. Tadhg’s obviously a world-class player and he’s a British and Irish Lion but I need to be pushing him and making him better and making myself better.
“I wouldn’t see myself as a back-up player. I can fill that role and I keep pushing myself and finding new limits to where I can go.”
