Friday’s rugby news has all the Kurtley Beale drama, a Honey Badger reflection and a Dan Carter injury update.
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Beale in trouble for texts
Kurtley Beale’s future in Australian rugby is under threat as a number of “deeply offensive” texts he sent about an ARU staffer have come to light. Pulver was tight-lipped about the exact nature of the messages but it is known that there is an image denigrating Di Patston and that Beale is facing a charge of breaching the ARU’s cyber bullying and harassment policy.
The on-air argument issue has taken a back seat to these new allegations and Beale is unlikely to be considered for Wallabies selection in the upcoming All Blacks Test.
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Wallabies discontent brewing
Members of the wider Wallabies training group have confirmed that coach Ewen McKenzie was aware of the Beale incident at the time, and that he did not refer the matter to ARU management after the Waratahs centre made an emotional apology to Patston.
There is also more information coming out about the unease of the players towards the micromanagement of Patston. A week before the Dublin drinking incident, McKenzie called a team meeting where he confronted rumours of unrest about Patston’s broad role in the team, although a defensive Link apparently failed to give a satisfactory answer.
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Cummins has no regrets
The Honey Badger will line up for the Barbarians against his former Test team-mates next month and has said that, despite the difficulty of leaving the international arena, he has no regrets about the move to Japanese rugby.
“Everyone has their own mission in life and what they’ve got to do,” Cummins said, adding, “I had a good run, a good stint and I’m grateful for that.” As was previously reported, Cummins is said to be in talks with the Force for a short-term contract during the Japanese off-season.
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Dan Carter out of Bledisloe
Dan Carter has been officially ruled out of next weekend’s Test against the Wallabies in Brisbane, instead targeting the Test against the United States in Chicago. Carter is still feeling the effects of the fractured fibula bone he suffered during the Super Rugby grand final on August 2.
When asked whether Carter was being carried in the squad on reputation, Hansen said, “‘He is one of the great players of all time and if he is fit and free of injury, then he is still a great player.” Ben Smith will also miss the Brisbane match because of general exhaustion.
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