The familiarity of the environment, the training, the gameplan and his teammates provided a soothing balm for any nerves Finlay Bealham may have felt last Thursday when Ireland coach Joe Schmidt sidled up and told him that he would be on the bench on Saturday afternoon.
Cian Healy's misfortune, in the form of a hamstring injury, meant that Bealham had been promoted to the match-day 23. He'd been in the Irish training squad chosen for the Six Nations, so there was no culture shock. Two days notice foreshortened the potential for dwelling too much on his potential debut.
As a matter of primacy the 24-year-old Australian born prop, woke his parents, in the middle of the night in Oz to tell them the good news. Unsurprisingly they were “very, very happy.”
Bealham’s route to Ireland took in the Australia A schoolboys, Belfast Harlequins, Ireland Under-20 (2011) and the Connacht academy, before making his debut for Pat Lam’s side against Zebre in February, 2014. He qualifies for Ireland via a grandmother from Enniskillen.
He wasn't fazed by the late call-up. "Well I was in camp from the start of the Six Nations. I have been prepping every week in case there was an injury at loosehead or tighthead so when Cian (Healy) pulled out; I was quite familiar with everything. I wasn't trying to learn too much. It was just getting ready to execute."
His opportunity came on 65 minutes when he replaced Jack McGrath but the highlights of the afternoon began much earlier as he lined up for the anthems. He explained: “A few lads were saying, ‘take it all in.’ (I didn’t want) to let the moment get the better of me.
“I saw all the fans and it gives you that little buzz. It was humbling looking up and seeing everyone sing the anthems. It was something that I will remember forever. It was quite loose (when I came on) but it was still quite tough out there. I just went on to do my job.”
He fully understood the significance of the day for Connacht rugby, five players on the pitch at the end of a Six Nations game for the first time in the province’s history by some calculations.
"If you told me (at the start of the season) that five of us (Ultan Dillane, Nathan White, Kieran Marmion and Robbie Henshaw) would be playing a Six Nations game against Italy I don't know what I would have told you. We didn't say too much at the end, we just all looked at each other and had a big smile.
“We were all thinking the same thing, really humbled and just really happy we were all there. Hopefully some more lads will come in in the future.”
He enjoyed sharing the occasion with Dillane, “a good friend,” dating back to their days playing club rugby with Corinthians. “I have been playing with Ultan since he played for Corinthians, a number of years ago and he has been playing like that since I first started playing with him.
“Just to see him bring it through to Pro12 level and then international level is a credit to him and the work he has put in. He is a real good mate and I am just happy for him.
“I tend to stay away from him at training. A couple of years ago (even when) he was a bit skinnier, he was all bones, and he’d put his shoulder in you and you’d be feeling it for days. I would stay away from him. He’s a tough man. He puts a lot of work in and he keeps striving to get better. It’ll be good to see how far he can go.
“People might be playing club rugby now and think that in a couple of years you could be playing for your country. It’s just a matter of working hard and proving yourself and the rewards will come.”
For now though he intends to enjoy the night, unsure of what it might hold or in truth where he’s supposed to go. “I have been following Nathan White around when I have been in camp, so maybe follow him. I’d say he will be glad to see the back of me when this is over. (It’ll be about) enjoying this win tonight, and prep for Scotland, tomorrow.”
