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Kurtley's absence bad for rugby, good for him

Kurtley Beale of the Melbourne Rebels looks to offload the football. (Photo: Paul Barkley/LookPro)
Expert
13th May, 2013
32

Kurtley Beale’s chances of playing the British and Irish Lions have greatly reduced as he begins an indefinite leave of absence from playing rugby.

After storming onto the rugby scene as a high-schooler and hitting great heights in the Wallabies jersey as recently as 2011, Beale’s professional career has come upon rocky times recently after a history of alcohol-fuelled incidents has come to a head.

Beale was stood down from the Melbourne Rebels for the upcoming match against the Blues after admitting he drank with friends after a loss to the Chiefs last Friday night.

That comes on the back of an extended removal from the team due to getting physical (physical, physical) with his teammates.

While in the short-term this is going to have an impact on both the Rebels and the Wallabies, it is a great long-term decision.

Beale is a human being first and a rugby union player second. It is clear in this case the person of Beale needs to be put ahead of the game.

It seems, without having insider knowledge, Beale has a history of alcohol abuse and possibly an addiction. This is backed up by the statement Beale has “voluntarily entered a private health facility”.

Some people will lay the blame at Beale’s feet for his actions, and that certainly is correct. But that is only half the story.

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High profile sport has a long history of letting athletes simultaneously break rules without proper action taken and ignoring their own personal health.

Ben Cousins would be one of the most high profile cases of this.

Rugby may not have been careful enough in both addressing previous issues in Beale’s own life and allowed the culture of performance and fame to propel him forward without dealing with his past.

Beale is only a young man, 24 years old, who has been in the public eye since his stint at Joeys and playing for the Waratahs in 2007.

He still has a long time ahead of him in the game.

This is a chance for Beale to take control of his life – he is not absolved of blame – such that he can still have a long career in rugby to look forward to.

However it isn’t only important for that reason. He needs to set himself up for decades of prosperity after an athlete’s short career span is finished.

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This line in the sand has been too long coming. Rugby must make a stand on what sort of player behaviour is acceptable.

It is also too long coming for a person who needs to sort out his own life.

Rugby has profited from Beale’s contributions to the game over the years he has been involved. Yes, he has earned great money, but the game has grown through his involvement.

Let’s hope this young man can own up to the shortcomings in his own life and the sport can also learn lessons about how to manage young men in the times we find ourselves in.

Beale has been a rugby commodity since he was good enough to be given a chance to play at Joeys.

This is the reality of life for many young boys, not just rugby players. They are given an education in return for athletic excellence. University tuition is provided with athletic excellence as pay-off. Life as a professional athlete is summarised in transactional terms.

Many rugby fans scoff at professionals who can’t keep themselves in line and hark back to old times when players were able to hold down jobs, play rugby and drink after games.

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Players now have fame and fortune from a younger age. Vices such as alcohol, drugs and gambling are part of the professional sports person’s life right now. There is more money, more spare time – as the old proverb goes, “Idle hands are the devil’s tools”.

That is the world the ARU and Super Rugby teams are now partners in with the players.

There is much to be learnt and I hope a successful rehabilitation in Beale’s case returns him to the world a much better-rounded, resilient man, as well as an athlete who brings joy to sports viewers.

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