Ireland’s Canberra duo set to duel with Scots’ Wallaby

Ireland’s Australian duo of Finlay Bealham and Mack Hansen should win their race to be fit for the next leg of the European champions’ bid for a Six Nations ‘three-peat’ — and a date with Scotland’s former Wallaby, Jack Dempsey.

The Canberra pair of Bealham and Hansen both sustained leg injuries during Saturday’s 27-22 win over England in Dublin in the opening round of the championship, leaving them in doubt for the clash against Scotland .

But Ireland scrum coach John Fogarty offered an encouraging update on Wednesday, saying the pair were set to win their fitness battle, even though two other key figures, Tadhg Furlong and Joe McCarthy, are ruled out for Sunday’s clash in Edinburgh.

“They trained just now and it looks positive for both,” Fogarty said.

“They took part in the full session. They should be ready, they looked good today.

“They’ll be looked at again and there’ll be a medical on Thursday as well.”

Both the 26-year-old winger Hansen and 33-year-old prop Bealham, who are teammates in the Irish provincial side Connacht, have become part of the furniture in the Irish squad.

Bealham, who’s been playing in Ireland for nearly 15 years, qualified to play in the green because his grandmother is from Enniskillen in Norhern Ireland, while Hansen’s eligibility comes through his Cork-born mother.

The visit to Murrayfield could see the pair up against Scotland’s former Wallaby Dempsey, who came off the bench to help them subdue Italy 31-19 last weekend.

It’s two years since back-rower Dempsey made his Scotland debut, basically starting a second international career after winning 14 caps for Australia, and the Sydneysider has loved every minute of playing for the country from where his maternal grandfather hails.

“I said at the time, to get that, I guess, second chance in the Test arena was a dream come true again, as any young rugby player would say,” he said recently..

“But to fast-forward two years and the bonds I’ve created, some of the friends I’ve made, the experiences while I’ve been over here have been unreal. I’ve loved it all.”

There may even have been four Aussies on the field on Sunday if Melburnian Scottish captain Sione Tuipulotu hadn’t been sidelined for the championships with injury.