As a schoolboy, he was a gun and continued through to Super Rugby with the Waratahs (winning the trophy in 2015) and the Wallabies. The 2019 World Cup was not his greatest showing, throwing an intercept pass against England in the quarter-final in Oita.
When he signed with the Western Force, I thought that was for a retirement package. Eddie Jones didn’t pick him for RWC 2023 in France, so the writing was on the wall. When he turned out for the Force against the Reds at Ballymore, he definitely had a spring in his step. Once on the field in the second half, he orchestrated the greatest comeback of recent times, leading them to a one-point victory.
Kurtley Beale for the Western Force at Ballymore. Photo by David Kapernick.
Les Kiss is a shrewd operator and has called him into the Wallabies squad for the November tests to complete the Nations Championship. Born on 6 January 1989, can this be the Lazarus moment for Beale at almost 37?
The Queensland Reds have finally broken an 11 match hoodoo! After 7 long years, they have nailed arch interstate rivals the New South Wales Waratahs with a 32-26 victory at Suncorp Stadium.
In front of a sparse crowd, due to COVID-19 restrictions, the Reds were out of the blocks early with their fearless leader, Liam Wright, going over in the sixth minute. Though, this was short lived when the ‘Tahs prop, Harry Johnson-Holmes, scrambled over the line in the tenth minute to level the score 7-all. A bruising affair ensued as the Reds scrum & line-out dominated resulting in two more tries for the home side to lead 19-7. However, last year’s Junior Wallabies’ No. 10, Will Harrison, slotted two penalties in the last six minutes before halftime to go to the sheds only 6 behind at 19-13.
Reds had a dominate line-out
Reds are in again
Photos courtesy of GTR (top photo from Brendan Hertel)
Harrison’s sharp shooting landed another penalty goal early in the second half followed by Jack Maddocks slicing through a gap off the ruck to score under the posts. The visitors were now leading 23-19 only 8 minutes in.
A try to another 2019 Junior Wallaby, No.8 Harry Wilson, in the 64th minute that was converted had the Reds back in the lead at 26-23. Only three minutes later the Harrison boot equaled the score before the confident boot of James O’Conner took over, from an indifferent kicking display from Bryce Hegarty, to put the match out of reach with two penalties at the 75th & 80th minute mark to break the 26-all deadlock.
A fairly even match with the Reds having 57% of possession, 58% of territory and scoring four tries to two making them the deserved winners in a tough State verse State, mate against mate encounter.
James O’Conner said after the match: “It was an awesome effort by the guys. We dug deep and obviously winning it right at the end was amazing.”
Though he admitted: “We were pretty scrappy… There’s a lot to improve on.”
Special mention for debutante Tuaina Tualima coming on early in the first half for Angus Blyth. He definitely will benefit for the hour+ he had on the paddock.
