Connacht confident of Finlay Bealham return for Sharks visit

Connacht look set to welcome Finlay Bealham back to their squad for Saturday's visit of the Sharks to Galway.

The Ireland international has been part of the province’s training this week, with head coach Pete Wilkins revealing he’s on track to be involved for the BKT United Rugby Championship Round 2 meeting with the South Africans.

The province were able to call upon back row Cian Prendergast, hooker Dave Heffernan and scrum-half Caolin Blade for last weekend’s opening league game away to Munster, with Bealham and Bundee Aki the two remaining Connacht men that toured South Africa with Ireland in the summer.

Aki’s return looks more likely in the Round 3 trip to Scarlets next week, but Bealham is on track to come into the squad this weekend, with tighthead Jack Aungier unavailable due to his commitments with Emerging Ireland.

There was mixed injury news for the province after their defeat to Munster on Saturday, with second row Joe Joyce unlikely to be available to take on the Sharks this weekend, after suffering a shoulder injury which will require further assessment.

There was good news for Santiago Cordero (below), who has trained fully this week despite picking up a knee injury late in the game at Thomond Park. The wing/full-back missed almost all of his first season at Connacht with a ACL tear, but Wilkins says he should be "good to go" for this weekend.

Earlier today the IRFU confirmed that the province’s winger Chay Mullins would join the Emerging Ireland squad on their tour of South Africa later this month, with the former Sevens international replacing his provincial teammate Shayne Bolton, who suffered a laceration on his knee in the first half last weekend.

"We’re desperately sorry Shayne Bolton hasn’t gone on the