Six Nations: Ireland optimistic over Hansen and Bealham fitness for Scotland game
2025-02-05
Category: sports

Injury doubts Mack Hansen and Finlay Bealham remain in contention to feature in Ireland's Six Nations game against Scotland on Sunday, but Tadhg Furlong and Joe McCarthy look set to again be unavailable.Winger Hansen, 26, left the field in the first half of Saturday's win over England as a blood substitution after sustaining a cut knee though he did return to finish the victory.Tight-head prop Bealham, meanwhile, had an ankle injury following the England game but scrum coach John Fogarty said that the Connacht pair "looked good" in training on Wednesday morning."They trained just now and it looks positive for both of them. They took part in the full session," said Fogarty. The news was less positive concerning British and Irish Lions tight-head prop Furlong and lock McCarthy with Fogarty saying the Murrayfield contest is likely to "come too soon" for the Leinster duo.Furlong missed the England game because of a calf injury with concussion ruling McCarthy out of the Aviva Stadium contest.Ireland are already short of options for the number three jersey given Furlong's injury and with Ulster's Tom O'Toole serving the last match of a six-game ban this weekend.Bealham was replaced for the final 21 minutes of the England game by Tom Clarkson.