What Was Number 1 on My Birthday Ireland
FINLAY Bealham says he's only hitting his straps as he hits his 30s.
Bealham will mark that roundy number birthday on Saturday but admits he's looking forward to it more because it's game day for Connacht against the Dragons.
"It's a really special day," mused the Aussie-born Ireland prop. "I'm looking forward to it, more so to the game but not turning 30.
"I might celebrate by having Caesar salad with the sauce on the side!"
Bealham has heard the recent comment from Munster's Dave Kilcoyne, another member of Ireland's front row club, that he wants to play on until he's 40.
"If Killer wants to play until 40, I'll play until 41," the tighthead proclaimed, smiling.
"Seriously though, I'm loving my rugby at the moment and I try and take care of myself as best I can.
"I feel that I'm still yet to reach my prime as a prop, I still feel I have lots to work on and I'm really ambitious and achieving the max that I can.
"Age is just a number at the end of the day - and as long as I can show up for training week in and week out and have that hunger and drive, then age is irrelevant.
"The scrummaging is the main thing, and I keep telling our strength and conditioning coach Dave Howarth that strength is the last thing to leave an athlete."
Grinning, he added: "So thank God I'm not a fast-twitch fibre athlete, I'll keep my strength for a while...I hope my theory is correct!".
He also wants more Ireland game time - he has made four starts in 16 Test appearances - and has noted that Andrew Porter's switch to loosehead with Leinster could open the door for him again at international level.
"Without being too cliche, I try not to think about that kind of stuff, and really just focus on my process, week in and week out," said Bealham.
"I'm trying to reach the ceiling that I have and trying to get as far as possible and improving myself as best I can around the pitch, and as long as I do that I'll put myself in the best position possible to put my hand up for Ireland selection."
Bealham and the rest of the Connacht squad could enjoy last Friday night's big first home victory of the season all the more after learning what Bulls supremo Jake White said about them in his pre-match comments.
Westerners boss Andy Friend condemned White's "ill-informed and silly" remarks about the squad consisting of Leinster players not good enough to make it in their own province.
"I heard it after, but he had to eat those words though, didn't he? So the joke's on him," said Bealham.
"We've got a great bunch of lads here who are highly driven to succeed.
"Some of the boys that have come down from Dublin like Tom Daly, he was our player of the year and very unlucky not to get capped in the summer series and now he's an Ireland squad member.
"He's been class for us, so yeah, I don't know what your man's on about.
"It was my first game back in front of supporters, and get a win and a bonus point against a tough Bulls side.
"It was really special and everyone is in good form coming in, really bouncing and we are ready to attack the Dragons this week. It's a good camp at the moment."
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What Was Number 1 on My Birthday Ireland
Source: https://www.irishmirror.ie/sport/rugby-union/age-just-number-birthday-boy-25156394
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