50th Ireland cap for Aussie Bealham but Hansen is out

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50th Ireland cap for Aussie Bealham but Hansen is out

Mixed fortunes for Ireland’s Canberra connection will see Finlay Bealham win his 50th cap in the Six Nations blockbuster against France while Mack Hansen will have to sit out the huge Six Nations clash with injury.

The *********** pair, who have become key cogs as Ireland shoot for an unprecedented third-straight European title, had both been hoping to play in Saturday’s big match in Dublin, but winger Hansen is out with a quad injury.

Bealham, though, has been brought back as starting tight-head prop while Thomas Clarkson drops to the bench and is poised for an emotional day at the Aviva Stadium in front of his *********** friends and family.

The 33-year-old will be one of three Ireland stalwarts celebrating a landmark 50th appearance alongside captain Caelan Doris, who’s been passed fit to start, and replacement back-rower Jack Conan.

Bealham, who qualified to represent the green shirt through his Northern Irish grandmother from Enniskillen and who’s now been playing rugby in Ireland for 15 years, won his first cap in March 2016 against Italy.

Doris, who returns as part of four changes, had to sit out Ireland’s 27-18 round-three win over Wales with a knee injury but is now out to lead his team to a fourth-straight win in this year’s championship, but against a French side who’ve won two of their three matches, losing the other by just a point to England.

Peter O’Mahony is retained at blindside flanker for his last Test match in Dublin before retirement, while prop Cian Healy and scrumhalf Conor Murray, who will also end their international careers at the end of the tournament, are primed for farewell appearances from the bench.

Hansen’s injury means Jamie Osborne switches to the right wing after starting at full-back against Wales.

Meanwhile, in Scotland’s team to face winless Wales at Murrayfield on Saturday, former Wallaby Jack Dempsey retains his place at No.8.

The Scots’ only change from the side beaten 16-15 by England for the Calcutta Cup is the return of Darcy Graham, who suffered a concussion in the loss to Ireland almost four weeks ago.

Graham, Scotland’s second-highest try-scorer of all-time, replaces Kyle Rowe.

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