Beale to take indefinite break from rugby
Date
May 13, 2013 - 6:52PM
Wallabies playmaker Kurtley Beale will stand down from rugby indefinitely as he seeks assistance with alcohol-related issues.
After meeting the Melbourne Rebels and the Rugby Union Players’ Association on Monday, the Australian Rugby Union (ARU) issued a statement, saying Beale had voluntarily entered a private health facility to undertake counselling.
Beale had initially denied he had a drinking problem when suspended by the Rebels for striking teammates Cooper Vuna and Gareth Delve in South Africa on March 23. But he was subsequently stood down for last weekend’s 36-32 loss to the Blues in Auckland for breaking the terms of his rehab agreement by drinking the night after his eye-catching return against the Chiefs.
The ARU said any future selection of Beale at a club or national level would be dependent on successful completion of his treatment program.
Beale’s standing down looks to have scuppered any chance the 24-year-old has of taking part in the British and Irish Lions series starting next month.
Earlier, Beale’s former long-time mentor Glen Ella said it was time the gifted backline star actually admitted he had a problem with alcohol and that he should scratch any thoughts of playing against the Lions.
Ella, who managed the schoolboy star from the age of 13 to 19, said he felt the ARU needed to follow NRL club Canterbury’s hard-line stance with another indigenous football star, Ben Barba.
‘‘I’d love to see him playing against the Lions but, in all honesty, I think that’s (not playing) going to be part of his rehabilitation,’’ said former Wallabies back Ella.
"I think he needs to sit this one out."
‘‘My advice to Kurtley - and I love him dearly, he’s been a small part of my life - is that he just has to keep away from it and focus on re-establishing his career.
‘‘He needs to come out and say ’every time I do drink, there is an issue’.
‘‘He’s been blessed with the talent and part of that comes (with) responsibility to be a role model - not just for Aboriginal kids but young kids all over Australia.’’
Ella first began mentoring Beale when he started at St Joseph’s College in Sydney and played a major hand in his rise to play for the NSW Waratahs at 18.
He felt rugby would play an important role in Beale’s rehabilitation but he needed to return to Sydney to be close to his support network.
), you change the configuration of the Back 3 to have JOC (James O'Connor) as a starter probably and a centre onto the bench (Horne at this stage, though I hope taps makes a play in the next few games). I would prefer this rather than start both Mogg and Folau (still think one of them should be playing 14 or as I'm now coining it...2nd full)
