Sawt Falasteen - Montpellier's Beard 'far from finished' with Wales despite lengthy absence

Beard, 29, has enjoyed a fine start to life in the French Top 14 this season and will be hoping to use Montpellier's home meeting with Lyon on Saturday as a final audition to earn a recall to the international scene.

The forward has been unable to add to his 58 caps since suffering a knee injury last November, but that could change when newly-appointed Wales head coach Steve Tandy names his first squad next Tuesday for games against Argentina, Japan, New Zealand and South Africa.

"I have had conversations with Steve to let him know that I do want to play international rugby, I feel like I'm far from finished in terms of that," Beard told AFP.

"If I'm lucky enough to be selected, I'd love to put the Welsh jersey back on."

Tandy, Beard's former coach at the Ospreys, has been appointed with Welsh rugby in crisis.

The national team have won just one Test since October 2023 and the Welsh Rugby Union are undergoing a highly-debated consultation period about the number of professional teams in the country.

"There's just been loads of things that's always been happening in Wales," Beard said.

"It would be nice for those boys and everyone involved to have a couple of years without any rubbish that's going on off the field."

- 'X-factor' -

The 2.03m-tall second row joined 2021/22 French champions Montpellier this summer, after having spent more than a decade with home region the Ospreys.

"It was a tough decision, and something that I had long conversations about with my wife, family, friends, and even people in the rugby circles," Beard said.

"I'm 29 now, and there's less years ahead, so I wanted to experience something different.

"I obviously heard great things about Montpellier as a city, as a club, and just playing in the Top 14.

"I believe it's the best league in the world, and it is international-standard matches week in, week out, and I feel at my age that can only be beneficial for myself," the 2021 British and Irish Lion added.

Beard has started the Top 14 season impressively, playing four out of Montpellier's six games, although they sit down in 11th place in the table.

He stood out in particular in September's 44-14 trouncing of champions Toulouse.

This weekend, Beard's focus will be on fourth-placed Lyon and trying to stop fleet-footed Fiji winger Jiuta Wainiqolo, who has scored three tries in three outings this campaign.

"I've seen a couple of his highlights, he's a dangerous player," Beard said.

"I think we'll have to do pretty well to shut him down early, but just looking at Lyon, they're a quality outfit and they're right up there in the league at the minute.

"There's a lot of X-factor points about them, so we definitely know as a team that we're going to have to be on our game to get a victory this weekend."

Elsewhere, the pick of matchday seven action sees surprise league leaders Pau welcome second-placed Toulouse, with the hosts having only one fit recognised scrum-half in Thibault Daubagna.

Meanwhile, Bayonne, who fell from top spot after losing 47-24 to Pau last weekend, will be without 15 players for the visit of Clermont.

La Rochelle are resting France internationals Nolann Le Garrec and Gregory Alldritt for the visit of newly-promoted Montauban.

Fixtures (times GMT)

Saturday

Bayonne v Clermont (1230), Castres v Stade Francais, Montpellier v Lyon, La Rochelle v Montauban, Perpignan v Bordeaux-Begles (all 1435), Pau v Toulouse (1900)

Sunday

Toulon v Racing 92 (1905)

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