Froggy, I have no problems with the players privately supporting their friend. I have no problems with them giving a character witness. I 100% support the notion that a good friend will support someone at the worst time. What's more, I feel that rugby union still has a duty of care to Kurtley Beale who has been in the system since he left school.
However, I have a problem that several players sole public comment (that I am aware of) was to support the retention of Beale without any acknowledgement of his wrong doing. They should have either very specifically stated they did not condone his actions or refrained from commenting.
What he did was demeaning to women, and was insulting and hurtful to the victim. As far as I understand it was illegal under laws relating to Discrimination and Harassment. I would have thought it was an offence worthy of automatic dismissal (however I am no lawyer, so if that is wrong happy to be corrected).
It is entirely inappropriate for players to make public comment, stating they wish for him to be retained, without any acknowledgement of his wrong doing. That is not the sort of character that I want representatives of the Wallabies to display.
And, with regards to rugby's duty of care, I feel the entirely appropriate thing for rugby to do at this time is to draw a line in the sand and sack Kurtley on the basis that he needs to learn to be accountable for his actions.
I then think it is the role of his friends to make him realise that this is the case too.
After all Froggy, while you supported your friend, you still appear to be at least understanding that it was appropriate for him to go to jail for what he did. IMO the best friends are willing to tell a friend when he is out of line and help him straighten out.