Beale to sacrifice $500k in wages as Rugby Australia confirm his return
It’s official: Kurtley Beale is returning home to Sydney and will be available for the Wallabies’ blockbuster three-Test series with England in June-July.
Rugby Australia confirmed the code’s worst-kept secret on Sunday night that Beale would finish up with Racing 92 at the end of the French Top 14 season and rejoin the NSW Waratahs in 2023.
It’s understood Beale will sacrifice almost $500,000 to cut short his stint in Europe to hopefully contest a record-equalling fourth Rugby World Cup in France next year.
After giving Beale his blessing to ply his trade overseas, Wallabies coach Dave Rennie sent an SOS for the versatile playmaker on last year’s northern hemisphere spring tour of the UK.
Now the 95-Test veteran looms as a key figure in Rennie’s 2023 World Cup plans.
Beale can cover a range of positions across the backline but has been predominantly seen at fullback during his last two seasons playing for his French club.
A member of the past three Wallabies’ Rugby World Cup squads, Beale’s return puts him squarely in the frame to join George Gregan and great mate Adam Ashley-Cooper as only the third Australian to feature at four World Cup tournaments.
“I’m really happy to be returning to Australia and would like to thank RA and the Waratahs for allowing me that opportunity,” Beale said.
“There’s nothing better than representing my state and my country and I’ll be working hard to earn the right to do both when I return to Australia.”
Beale won’t feature for the Waratahs until the 2023 Super Rugby Pacific season – 15 years after first representing his state as a teenage schoolboy.
“From what I can see, the Waratahs and the Wallabies are building really strong cultures and environments and I’ll be looking to contribute as much as I can to ensure that continues,” he said.
The 33-year-old is currently the second most-capped NSW Waratah with 148 Super Rugby games across 11 seasons for the club.
“We’re really pleased that Kurtley is returning home and committed to Australian Rugby to the end of the 2023 season,” Rugby Australia chief Andy Marinos said.
“His decision is especially significant given the current rugby player market and speaks to his desire to represent both the Waratahs and the Wallabies again.
“We remain determined to be successful and play a brand of rugby that delivers results and engages fans.
“Kurtley has shown this in his career to date and we are excited to see the continued impact he can have as we build towards the 2023 Rugby World Cup.
“Kurtley’s return certainly adds depth and experience to Australian rugby in positions that provide an opportunity to showcase his skill and diversity.”
Waratahs coach Darren Coleman was also thrilled to welcome back the Indigenous superstar.
“It’s going to be great having Kurtley back not only for the team but for the NSW Rugby public,” Coleman said.
“He’s an excitement machine and his ability to play multiple positions is a real asset for us.”
“I’ve had a long association with Kurtley dating back to 2006 and he’s a really positive guy to have around.
“I feel he will be a great mentor for some of our young backs as they progress through their professional career.”
Comments on RugbyPass
Pick Swinton at your peril A liability just like JWH from the Roosters Skelton ??? went missing at RWC
14 Go to commentsLike tennis, who have a ranking system, and I believe rugby too, just measure over each period preceding a world cup event who was the longest number one and that would be it. In tennis the number one player frequently is not the grand slam winner. I love and adore the All Blacks since the days of Ian Kirkpatrick when I was a kid in SA. And still do because they are the masters of running rugby and are gentleman on and off the field - in general. And in my opinion they have been the majority of the time the best rugby team in the world.
15 Go to commentsHaving overseas possessions in 2024 is absurd. These Frenchies should have to give the New Caledonians their freedom.
21 Go to commentsBell injured his foot didn’t he? Bring Tupou in he’ll deliver when it counts. Agree mostly but I would switch in the Reds number 8 Harry Wilson for Swinton and move Rob Valentini to 6 instead. Wilson is a clever player who reads the play, you can’t outmuscle the AB’s and Springboks, if you have any chance it’s by playing clever. Same goes for Paisami, he’s a little guy who doesn’t really trouble the likes of De Allende and Jordie Barrett. I’d rather play Carter Gordon at 12 and put Michael Lynagh’s boy at 10. That way you get a BMT type goalkicker at 10 and a playmaker at 12. Anyways, just my two cents as a Bok supporter.
14 Go to commentsThanks Brett, love your articles which are alway pertinent. It’s a difficult topic trying to have a panel adjudicating consistently penalties for red card issues. Many of the mitigating reasons raised are judged subjectively, hence the different outcomes. How to take away subjective opinions?
4 Go to commentsYes Sir! Surprising, just like Fraser would also have escaped sanction if he was a few inches lower, even if it was by accident that he missed! Has there really been talk about those sanctions or is this just sensational journalism? I stopped reading, so might have missed any notations.
4 Go to commentsAI is only as good as the information put in, the nuances of the sport, what you see out the corner of the eye, how you sum up in a split second the situation, yes the AI is a tool but will not help win games, more likely contribute to a loss, Rugby Players are not robots, all AI can do if offer a solution not the solution. AI will effect many sports, help train better golfers etc.
45 Go to commentsIt couldn’t have been Ryan Crotty. He wasn’t selected in either World Cup side - they chose Money Bill instead. And Money Bill only cared about himself, and that manager he had, not the team.
26 Go to commentsYawn 🥱 nobody would give a hoot about this new trophy. End of the day we just have to beat Ireland and NZ this year then they can finally shut up 🤐
15 Go to commentsTalking bout Ryan Crotty? Heard Crotty say in a interview once that SBW doesen't care about the team . He went on to say that whenever they lost a big game, SBW would be happy as if nothing happened, according to him someone who cares would look down.. Personally I think Crotty is in the wrong, not for feeling gutted but for expecting others 2 be like him… I have been a bad loser forever as it matters so much to me but good on you SBW for being able to see the bigger picture….
26 Go to commentsThis sounds like a WWE idea so Americans can also get excited about rugby, RUGBY NEEDS A INTERNATIONAL CALENDER .. The rugby Championship and Six Nations can be held at same time, top 3 of six nations and top 3 of Rugby championship (6 nations should include Georgia AND another qualifying country while Fiji, Japan and Samoa/Tonga qualifier should make out 6 Southern teams).. Scrap June internationals and year end tours. Have a Elite top six Cup and the Bottom 6 in a secondary comp….
15 Go to commentsThe rugby championship would be even stronger with Fiji in it… I know it doesen’t fit the long term plans of NZ or Aus but you are robbing a whole nation of being able to see their best players play for Fiji…. Every second player in NZ and AUS teams has Fijian surnames… shame on you!!! World rugby won’t step in either as France and England has now also joined in…. I guess where money is involved it will always be the poor countries missing out….
84 Go to commentsNo surprise there. How hard can it be to pick a ball off the ground and chuck it to a mate? 😂
2 Go to commentsSometimes people just like a moan mate!
4 Go to commentsexcellent idea ! rugby needs this 💪
15 Go to comments9 Brumbies! What a joke! The best performing team in Oz! Ditch Skelton for Swain or Neville. Ryan Lonergan ahead of McDermott any day! Best selection bolter is Toole … amazing player
14 Go to commentsI like this, but ultimately rugby already has enough trophies. Trying to make more games “consequential" might prove to be a fools errand, although this is a less bad idea than some others. Minor quibble with the title of the article; it isn’t very meaningful to say the boks are the unofficial world champions when it would be functionally impossible for the Raeburn trophy not to be held by the world champions. There’s a period of a few months every 4 years when there is no “unofficial” world champion, and the Raeburn trophy is held by the actual world champions.
15 Go to commentsIts a great idea but one that I dont think will have a lot of traction. It will depend on the prestige that they each hold but if you can do that it would be great. When Japan beat the Boks (my team) I was absolutely devestated but I wont deny the great game they played that day. We were outclassed and it was one of the best games of rugby I have seen. Using an idea like this you might just give the the underdog teams more of an opportunity to beat the big teams and I can absolutely see it being a brilliant display of rugby. They beat us because they planned for that game. It was a great moment for Japan. This way we can remove the 4 year wait and give teams something to aim for outside of World Cup years.
15 Go to commentsHi, Dave here. Happy to answer questions 🥰
15 Go to commentsDon’t think that headline is accurate. It’s great to see Aus doing better but I’m not sure they’ve shown much threat to the top of the table. They shouldn’t be inflating wins against the lousy Highlanders and Crusaders either.
3 Go to comments