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The dashing 22-year-old, who made his Test debut in the final game of the 2009 Spring Tour, has re-signed with the Australian Rugby Union and the new Melbourne Rebels franchise for the 2012 and 2013 seasons.
Beale starts 2011 with 14 Test caps to his name, 13 of which were earned last year during a stunning first full season as a Wallaby. Such was the newcomer’s impact, his year culminated with a nomination for the International Rugby Board’s Player of the Year award.
“Kurtley’s retention is exciting news,” Qantas Wallabies coach Robbie Deans says.
“He is a player who has made great career strides over the last two years. It is pleasing that he sees the opportunity ahead in Australian Rugby to continue with his development.”
Beale acknowledges that he did have other options, and that rugby league had played a significant part in the earlier stages of his life, although he says there is still too much he wants to achieve in rugby union to have looked elsewhere at this point in his career.
“I still have a lot I want to achieve, to prove to both myself and others, in rugby,” Beale says.
“I’ve always aspired to be as consistent as I can be. Now that I’ve broken into the Wallabies, my goal is to be as consistent as I can as a Test player... to be a good Wallaby.”
Although he has been a member of the Wallabies squad for the last 18 months, Beale hopes the best is yet to come in his Test career.
“I grew up with rugby league, and it’s no secret that I enjoy it, but the last year and a half of my rugby career has been pretty special and I wasn’t ready to give up the chance to continue with that. To wear our national jersey in some amazing stadiums and against some tough international teams is the best feeling I’ve had in sport. Sharing that experience alongside so many of my mates was also something I took into my consideration about this career choice. The vibe on the Spring Tour last year was great. We all feel that we are on the verge of something special with the Wallabies, and the team is so young, we’re only all going to get better if we can keep it together, and carry on improving. I think we all feel that we can take the Wallabies back to the top and I didn’t want to miss out on the opportunity to share in what hopefully is going to be another golden era.”
Deans, who coached against Beale in Super Rugby, prior to promoting him into the Wallabies says the multi-skilled utility back is a player who brings excitement and unpredictability to any side in which he plays.
“Kurtley’s always had talent – that much was evident from his schoolboy career – but he is becoming a better rounded footballer now,” Deans says.
“He has identified his areas of need and worked hard on them, developing better habits and improving his core skills. That has already shown through in his work in the Test arena to date. When you look at where Kurtley was two years ago, to where he is now, he is a totally different player. The positive is that, at his age, Kurtley is in a position where he should only get even better as his experience and belief grows.”
Beale’s headline career achievement so far is the after the siren penalty goal that he drilled from near halfway to secure Australia’s first success on the South African high veldt in 47 years – last year’s thrilling 41-19 win at Bloemfontein. That act showcased the extent to which his self belief as a Test player had grown, given that he had not even been the Wallabies lead-off goal-kicker for that match, nor had he kicked fulltime for the NSW Waratahs earlier in the year.
“Kurtley has always had the ability to make things happen,” Deans says.
“The key growth area ahead for him is being able to eradicate dips in his standards, so that he is able to consistently exert a high level of influence on any matches in which he features.”
Used at both flyhalf and fullback at state level, Beale has made all but one of his Test appearances from the back, after he made his debut as a replacement winger during the 33-12 win over Wales at the end of the 2009 Spring Tour. Included in the Qantas Wallabies for the first time on that trip, Beale featured in the Tour matches against Gloucester and the Cardiff Blues, scoring two tries in the latter match from the wing, which earned him a call up to the bench from where he played his maiden Test.
That experience was followed seven months later by his run on debut, where Beale scored two tries from fullback as Australia opened last year’s Test season with a 49-3 win over Fiji in Canberra. Although his next three Test appearances all came as a replacement, Beale was entrusted with the starting role at fullback during Australia’s Tri Nations match against New Zealand in Christchurch and didn’t look back – starting the last nine Tests of the 2010 season.
He finished last year as Australia’s second top try-scorer for the season with seven, which included doubles against Fiji in Canberra and England in London, as well as two penalty goals.
Beale has been a flag bearer for the national indigenous population in rugby union ever since he burst onto the scene as a star playing in the St Joseph’s College first XV in Sydney. He was one of four players of Aboriginal decent fielded by the Wallabies during the Tri Nations match against New Zealand in Christchurch last year.
His re-signing, which comes a day after Australia’s most capped second-row forward, Nathan Sharpe, also re-committed, brings to 12 the number of international players to have re-confirmed their futures beyond 2011 in Australian Rugby this year.
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Originally Posted by jono
Definitely the Springboks.
