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Six Nations: Finlay Bealham to miss rest of tournament as Ireland welcome back five players

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Tadhg Furlong, Robbie Henshaw and Jamison Gibson-Park have not featured in this year’s Six Nations

Prop Finlay Bealham has been ruled out of the remainder of Ireland’s Six Nations campaign with a knee injury.

The Connacht front row had started Ireland’s wins over Wales, France and Italy.

Bealham took the place of the injured Tadhg Furlong, who has been named in the squad for this week’s mini-camp.

Also included are fit-again scrum-half Jamison Gibson-Park and centre Robbie Henshaw, who like Furlong have yet to feature in this year’s championship.

Captain Johnny Sexton and centre Garry Ringrose, who missed Saturday’s win in Italy, are also part of head coach Andy Farrell’s training squad this week.

“We’ve got a good crop of players coming back when it matters,” Farrell said after his side moved closer to the Grand Slam with victory in Rome.

Farrell has retained 27 players for the mini-camp which culminates in an open training session on Thursday against Ireland’s Under-20s, who are also chasing a Grand Slam.

Ireland face Scotland at Murrayfield on 12 March.

Given Ireland have secured bonus-point victories over Wales, France and Italy without three important players, Farrell admits the form of players who have stepped in may give him a selection headache for the final two games against Scotland and England.

Ulster’s Stuart McCloskey has impressed at inside centre in place of Henshaw, while veteran scrum-half Conor Murray and Craig Casey have stepped up after Gibson-Park was forced out of the Wales opener at the last minute.

When asked if the lack of game time for Furlong, Henshaw and Gibson-Park matters, Farrell said: “Well obviously it matters because ideally you would love them to have more time, but how many times have we done this now?

“We’ve done it time and time again in regards not being ideal, I suppose game time etc.

“But we pride ourselves on making sure that our training gets people up to speed and we’ll see how they’ll come back into that and deal with all that. That will give us more of an idea.”

Murrayfield one of the toughest places to go

Scotland’s dream of a Grand Slam was ended in Paris on Sunday but Gregor Townsend’s men will secure the Triple Crown if they can defeat Ireland at Murrayfield.

Farrell added that Ireland’s victory over a battling Italy side on Saturday was “a good win” but his side must improve if they are to win in Edinburgh after the break from action.

“It’s one of the toughest places in world rugby to go and it doesn’t matter what anyone’s record is there, they’re tough to beat there,” he added.

“They’re going for the Triple Crown – that will mean a lot to them so it has to mean even more to us.”

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