Kurtley Beale
Encyclopedia
Kurtley Beale is an Australian representative
rugby union
player. His primary position is fullback.
and regularly attended training sessions with the NSW Waratahs from the age of 15. At 17 he attended his first Wallabies
training camp, on invitation by coach John Connolly
.
Beale initiated the inaugural season of the Australian Rugby Championship
by starting five-eighth for the Rams in every game. Beale was one of the season's leading try scorers and try-assists in the competition. The Rams went on to become minor premiers in 2007 thanks to the contribution of Beale and other established rugby talents such as Tatafu Polota-Nau, Chris Siale and rising star Lachlan Turner. Beale was awarded player of the tournament (2007) in the ARC.
New South Wales
Beale made his Senior NSW debut against ACT
in January 2007 in a trial in Wollongong. He scored a his first of many memorable tries; chipping around the winger and out pacing the fullback to score the try after coming on from the bench in the game which NSW won 12–0. Two weeks later, after again coming off the bench, Beale made a late break to assist the winning try against the Crusaders. Coach Ewen McKenzie
had stated that Beale would not be rushed into the starting line up and would instead play second fiddle in his debut year behind Daniel Halangahu. However, it was no more than two weeks later that he made his starting debut against the Sharks at Absa stadium, South Africa only to lose 22–9. The following week in only his second start as flyhalf, Beale scored one of the most memorable tries of the season: chipping over the first line defence and stealing the ball out of the fullbacks hands to score his first five pointer in Super 14.
Beale became established as the Waratahs first choice five-eighth for the start of the 2008 Super 14 season. He also assumed the goal kicking duties from Peter Hewat
ahead of Lachlan Turner
, but Beale's goal kicking is not seen as one of the team's strong points. His defence also became the subject of criticism after the round 2 loss to the Chiefs as NSW were forced to shift him to blindside wing in defence in order to shore up the midfield.
Beale was shifted to fullback for the 2010 season and the result was a number of improved performances including an impressive display against the Hurricanes in the final Super 14 round robin match in Sydney. The switch to fullback has allowed his vision and attacking options to expand especially returning kicks into broken play.
Beale currently plays for Randwick in the NSW domestic rugby competition.
Melbourne Rebels
On 14 April 2011, during the 2011 Super Rugby season, Beale announced that he had signed a two-year deal starting in 2012 to play for the Melbourne Rebels
. His Rebel team mates include 2011 Wallabies James O'Connor
and Nick Phipps
.
Australia
Beale made his Australia A debut in the 2007 Pacific Nations Cup. He scored his first try in a 27–15 defeat of Samoa. Soon after Beale narrowly missed out on selection for the 2007 Rugby World Cup, the selectors opting for Queensland Reds
flyer Berrick Barnes
. Wallabies coach John Connolly
selected Barnes over Beale due to his ability to adapt to the national team's conservative game plan and their narrow attack patterns.
His Australian
Test debut was made at the end of the 2009 Wallaby Tour of the Home Nations
when he appeared on the wing as a substitute in the 34–12 Wallaby victory over Wales
. He made a number of mid-week match appearances on the Tour at fly-half.
2010 was a ground breaking year for Beale in terms of his international career. He started the test season scoring 2 tries against Fiji and finished the year with a respectable record of 7 tries from 12 tests. 2011 saw a further rise in form and recognition with Beale being nominated for the IRB International Player of the Year Award.
He was named as part of the Wallabies squad for the Rugby World Cup 2011, and was favoured as the starting fullback whenever he was fit to play. On 15 October it was announced he would not be fit to play the semi-final against the All Blacks
due to a hamstring injury he suffered in the previous game against South Africa
.
Australia national rugby union team
The Australian national rugby union team is the representative side of Australia in rugby union. The national team is nicknamed the Wallabies and competes annually with New Zealand and South Africa in the Tri-Nations Series, in which they also contest the Bledisloe Cup with New Zealand and the...
rugby union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
player. His primary position is fullback.
Youth
Beale signed to the Waratahs while a 16 year old at St Joseph's College, Hunters Hill. Before leaving school Beale captained the Australian SchoolboysAustralian schoolboys
The Australian Schoolboys refer to junior teams that represent Australia in various sports. The name is mainly used in rugby league, rugby union and baseball...
and regularly attended training sessions with the NSW Waratahs from the age of 15. At 17 he attended his first Wallabies
Australia national rugby union team
The Australian national rugby union team is the representative side of Australia in rugby union. The national team is nicknamed the Wallabies and competes annually with New Zealand and South Africa in the Tri-Nations Series, in which they also contest the Bledisloe Cup with New Zealand and the...
training camp, on invitation by coach John Connolly
John Connolly (rugby)
John "Knuckles" Connolly is a rugby union coach and the former head coach of the Wallabies. Connolly has in the past worked with the Queensland Reds, Stade Français, Swansea RFC as well as Bath Rugby....
.
Senior
Western Sydney RamsBeale initiated the inaugural season of the Australian Rugby Championship
Australian Rugby Championship
The Australian Rugby Championship, often abbreviated to the ARC , was a domestic Rugby union football club competition in Australia which ran for only one season in August–October 2007...
by starting five-eighth for the Rams in every game. Beale was one of the season's leading try scorers and try-assists in the competition. The Rams went on to become minor premiers in 2007 thanks to the contribution of Beale and other established rugby talents such as Tatafu Polota-Nau, Chris Siale and rising star Lachlan Turner. Beale was awarded player of the tournament (2007) in the ARC.
New South Wales
Beale made his Senior NSW debut against ACT
Brumbies Rugby
The Brumbies are a Super 15 rugby union team based in Canberra, Australia and named for the wild horses which inhabit Canberra's hinterland...
in January 2007 in a trial in Wollongong. He scored a his first of many memorable tries; chipping around the winger and out pacing the fullback to score the try after coming on from the bench in the game which NSW won 12–0. Two weeks later, after again coming off the bench, Beale made a late break to assist the winning try against the Crusaders. Coach Ewen McKenzie
Ewen McKenzie
Ewen James Andrew McKenzie is a former Australian Rugby Union prop and now professional coach, currently with the Queensland Reds who won the 2011 premiership...
had stated that Beale would not be rushed into the starting line up and would instead play second fiddle in his debut year behind Daniel Halangahu. However, it was no more than two weeks later that he made his starting debut against the Sharks at Absa stadium, South Africa only to lose 22–9. The following week in only his second start as flyhalf, Beale scored one of the most memorable tries of the season: chipping over the first line defence and stealing the ball out of the fullbacks hands to score his first five pointer in Super 14.
Beale became established as the Waratahs first choice five-eighth for the start of the 2008 Super 14 season. He also assumed the goal kicking duties from Peter Hewat
Peter Hewat
Peter Hewat is an Australian rugby union player now playing in Japan's Top League for Suntory Sungoliath. He previously played for the NSW Waratahs and London Irish...
ahead of Lachlan Turner
Lachlan Turner
Lachlan 'Lachie' David Turner is an Australian rugby union player contracted to the NSW Waratahs. He is seen as one of the fastest wingers in Australia and his ability to run from deep has seen him score some incredible solo tries...
, but Beale's goal kicking is not seen as one of the team's strong points. His defence also became the subject of criticism after the round 2 loss to the Chiefs as NSW were forced to shift him to blindside wing in defence in order to shore up the midfield.
Beale was shifted to fullback for the 2010 season and the result was a number of improved performances including an impressive display against the Hurricanes in the final Super 14 round robin match in Sydney. The switch to fullback has allowed his vision and attacking options to expand especially returning kicks into broken play.
Beale currently plays for Randwick in the NSW domestic rugby competition.
Melbourne Rebels
On 14 April 2011, during the 2011 Super Rugby season, Beale announced that he had signed a two-year deal starting in 2012 to play for the Melbourne Rebels
Melbourne Rebels
The Melbourne Rebels are a professional rugby union team based in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. They made their debut in SANZAR's Super Rugby tournament in 2011. They are the first privately owned professional rugby union team in Australia...
. His Rebel team mates include 2011 Wallabies James O'Connor
James O'Connor (rugby)
James O'Connor is an Australian international rugby union footballer. He made his Wallabies debut in 2008. In the Super Rugby competition he played from 2008 to 2011 with Western Force, and subsequently signed to the Melbourne Rebels for the 2012 season.-Biography:O'Connor is a versatile...
and Nick Phipps
Nicholas Phipps (rugby)
Nick Phipps is a national representative rugby union footballer who currently plays for the Melbourne Rebels in the Super 15 competition.-Super 15:...
.
Australia
Beale made his Australia A debut in the 2007 Pacific Nations Cup. He scored his first try in a 27–15 defeat of Samoa. Soon after Beale narrowly missed out on selection for the 2007 Rugby World Cup, the selectors opting for Queensland Reds
Queensland Reds
The Queensland Reds represent Queensland in the sport of rugby union in the Southern Hemisphere Super Rugby competition. Prior to 1996 they were a representative team selected on merit from the rugby union club competitions in Queensland...
flyer Berrick Barnes
Berrick Barnes
Berrick Barnes is an Australian rugby union footballer with the NSW Waratahs in the Super Rugby competition. His usual position is fly-half or inside centre and he previously played for the Queensland Reds....
. Wallabies coach John Connolly
John Connolly (rugby)
John "Knuckles" Connolly is a rugby union coach and the former head coach of the Wallabies. Connolly has in the past worked with the Queensland Reds, Stade Français, Swansea RFC as well as Bath Rugby....
selected Barnes over Beale due to his ability to adapt to the national team's conservative game plan and their narrow attack patterns.
His Australian
Australia national rugby union team
The Australian national rugby union team is the representative side of Australia in rugby union. The national team is nicknamed the Wallabies and competes annually with New Zealand and South Africa in the Tri-Nations Series, in which they also contest the Bledisloe Cup with New Zealand and the...
Test debut was made at the end of the 2009 Wallaby Tour of the Home Nations
Home Nations
Home Nations is a collective term with one of two meanings depending on the context. Politically, it means the nations of the constituent countries of the United Kingdom...
when he appeared on the wing as a substitute in the 34–12 Wallaby victory over Wales
Wales national rugby union team
The Wales national rugby union team represent Wales in international rugby union tournaments. They compete annually in the Six Nations Championship with England, France, Ireland, Italy and Scotland. Wales have won the Six Nations and its predecessors 24 times outright, second only to England with...
. He made a number of mid-week match appearances on the Tour at fly-half.
2010 was a ground breaking year for Beale in terms of his international career. He started the test season scoring 2 tries against Fiji and finished the year with a respectable record of 7 tries from 12 tests. 2011 saw a further rise in form and recognition with Beale being nominated for the IRB International Player of the Year Award.
He was named as part of the Wallabies squad for the Rugby World Cup 2011, and was favoured as the starting fullback whenever he was fit to play. On 15 October it was announced he would not be fit to play the semi-final against the All Blacks
All Blacks
The New Zealand men's national rugby union team, known as the All Blacks, represent New Zealand in what is regarded as its national sport....
due to a hamstring injury he suffered in the previous game against South Africa
South Africa national rugby union team
The South African national rugby union team are 2009 British and Irish Lions Series winners. They are currently ranked as the fourth best team in the IRB World Rankings and were named 2008 World Team of the Year at the prestigious Laureus World Sports Awards.Although South Africa was instrumental...
.