'The lads are calling me Lazarus' – Finlay Bealham relishing Six Nations shot

Ireland fans may have been fearing the worst when Finlay Bealham went down injured against England but 'Lazarus' has made quite the recovery.

With regular tighthead Tadhg Furlong still rehabbing a troublesome calf injury, Connacht’s Bealham has stepped into his shoes, and, whisper it quietly, Ireland haven’t felt the Leinster man’s absence all that much.

The Australia-born prop went down suddenly, letting out a big shout as he did, with an ankle injury in the 27-22 win over England in round one of the Guinness Six Nations.

"Did I? Oh, I can’t remember," he said after Sunday’s 32-18 victory over Scotland on Sunday.

"I got a nasty enough one but thankfully it was all good. We made it here so it was okay."

Sunday’s contribution consisted of 13 tackles and an important turnover before Bealham (above) made way for Thomas Clarkson after 60 minutes.

"It was actually grand," explained the 33-year-old, who won his 47th cap.

"The lads are calling me Lazarus, I was getting a bit of a slagging but I’d happily enough take the slagging so I’d be here and able to play.

"I broke my ankle five years ago and I think all the hardware in there saved me from any significant damage so, like I said, I took the slagging, more attention for me which is brilliant and, yeah, I cracked on."

The IRFU said yesterday that Furlong is making good progress and that he may return to fitness for the game against Wales on 22 February.

Joe McCarthy (head) and Mack Hansen (hamstring) are also on course to face Wales, who yesterday parted ways with head coach Warren Gatland.

Ireland won eight and lost one of their own scrums against the Scots, while they were five from five against England.

In addition, the pack won numerous scrum penalties, including one where they