Last Sunday morning, Sydney time, we finally saw Kurtley Beale do what only he can do. Here are some examples: the breathtaking run through traffic from his own 22, the backing up of the Elsom run, the quick thinking and hands for O’Connor’s first try.
The question is why it has taken three seasons in the professional ranks to get it from him.
For those that will say that one swallow doesn’t make a summer and his stellar performance was really only of 40 minutes duration, bear with me.
Firstly, congratulations must go to Robbie Deans for his persistence and vision in bringing this unique talent towards his full potential.
I had the pleasure of watching Kurtley Beale play rugby throughout his secondary school days. He was clearly a prodigy.
He played at 5/8 because it he got the ball in his hands the most there.
There were many conversations with my fellow rugby mates, “experts,” who had also witnessed Beale at school and sat frustrated with me watching his regular bumbling, sluggish performances with the Waratahs.
Explanations included the “indigenous guys are all a bit tubby” or not every prodigy makes it, or where’s his speed gone?, or did everyone else just catch up?
The answer is a combination of the following:
1. In his first year out of school, he went straight into the playmaker role for a senior Super 14 team. Wrong.
2. He was put into this position but didn’t have a backs coach! Even more wrong. He should have had a year in grade, a few Super 14 off the bench games, and then back to grade and at a club that had the coaching resources to mould and advise him.
3. Until Deans came along, he was playing in the wrong position. He is not a 5/8. He does not have the pass or the vision of a Cooper. Beale is a league ball distributor. Mechanical, predictable, just another pair of hands.
4. And now it gets really ugly. In those three years, Beale was never fit! It now appears that he was carrying an unnecessary 7 kgs. This is 7 percent of his body weight!
Look at his frame now. No more rolly polly. The speed is back. The energy is back. The millisecond reaction time is back.
If ever there was an example of how far Australian rugby is off the pace, this is it. And this is why the Waratahs will never win the Super 15 until major changes are made.
stillmissit
Roar Guru
Totally agree LAS and I have been appalled at the ideas that brought about this level of stupidity. Young guys who have not toughened up carrying too much muscle is a recipe for ligament problems.
Tim Reardon
Roar Rookie
Beale will struggle to get a start for the Wallabies next year when Gerrard returns.
LeftArmSpinner
Roar Guru
SMI, but the point really is that he was allowed to play fat for three seasons!!!!! 7kgs fat!!!!!!!! and that created an underperforming, unconfident player!!!!!!! that is only just now beginning to emerge.
stillmissit
Roar Guru
To sum this thread up from my POV. I haven't a bloody clue what Kurtley Beales best position is but I do know he has buckets of talent. I think you could say that about several of the Wallabies today.
stillmissit
Roar Guru
LAS as a thinking man's second rower of course I knew that! It is just good to read that you know it too. Tell me how it goes again?
stillmissit
Roar Guru
It strikes me that Robbie Deans believes, quite rightly, that most players, given enough time in the Wallabies, will raise their game to that level. It seems that Beale is starting to do that but most of the other youngsters think it is all speed and confidence and no structure and thus will find themselves out of it.
LeftArmSpinner
Roar Guru
wnm, yep, larkham was an exception and players develop over time.
LeftArmSpinner
Roar Guru
i agree. a good problem to have. barnes has not found the form of previous years, partic. last year. even at shute shield level, he is not the playmaker.
LeftArmSpinner
Roar Guru
well, not exactly. it has always been thus!!!!! and so says a non tackling fullback!!!!!! But the stats actually also support it!!!! It is rare, and hence not a selection criterion, that a 15 will be required to make a one on one tackle, without the attacker having support. When the opposition is on attack, particularly from set pieces, the 15 should be covering the kick not covering the extra man coming into the backline (the blind side winger or the other 15) in phase play, the 15 should not be in the line but again waiting for the kick and reading the attack and marshalling the defence.
Twickenham
Roar Rookie
You must not have watched the back half of the S14 LAS. He was unbelievable against the Hurricanes and Chiefs. He tore the Cheetahs apart as well. He went on the end of season tour last year so he would have been the Wallabies responsibility until mid January. A bit rough blaming the Tahs for him being over weight when they don't see him until 2 weeks before the first trial match. Lets just be glad he is playing so well. And while you are giving it to Ewen McKenzie for playing him at 5/8, remember KB helped the Tahs to a Final in 2008. They were right in that match too, until KB got injured with about 20 to go.
Jiggles
Guest
KPM the differences between 12 and 13 are rather remarkable. I played 12 in reserve grade, and when forced to play 13 due to others injured, I came off with a sore head due to thinking way to much! yes at 12 you do have the larger back rowers running at you, but its usually front on tackles, not that hard to stop even if you are a weak defender. at 13 its usually the big out side back running at pace and angle into a channel. a 95kg winger going flat out cutting across your inside shouder is much tougher to stop then a 120kg no.8 lumbering front on. at 13 it is more about positioning your self to pick up the correct opposition runner. harder then it sounds and not natural for many. why not move beal - well he is have been playing pretty well at fullback for the waratah's and Australia. If it aint broke don't fix it springs to mind here....
Who Needs Melon
Guest
G'day LAS. I wrote an article below saying similar things about Beale so I agree with you. I do think Beale may end up a very good 10 though at some stage. I am also in 100% agreement with those above commenting on the overuse of 'imaginative thinking' when it comes to player selections. For me, I've always said this is the curse of Larkham. I don't think it happened at all often before him. After how successful his move from fullback was, some seem to have thought it must be easy ever since. Instead I think we have found out since that Larkham was very exceptional.
Mick Gold Coast QLD
Roar Guru
We're going to have to do some work with you on that stutter you've developed, kingplaymaker!
kingplaymaker
Roar Guru
At 13 you have fewer heavy back row runners coming at you than at 12. If you were worried about that he could be put out on the wing in defence. Obviously the point of putting Faiingaa at 13 would be to allow Beale to go at 12, not because Faiingaa would somehow be better there than at 12. I'm sure he could manage at 13. Why move Beale? Because he is naturally a brilliant 10 or 12, not a full-back. He is a playmaker, not a strike runner. If all the players you mention are injured now I can't believe they're all going to be fit next year! And others who are now fit will probably be injured,
Nathan
Roar Pro
Kurtley Beale is a natural 10 but plays well at FB.
CK
Guest
I'm with Peter K. Beale is a fantastic player with ball in hand, reminiscent of Campo. But he is little more than a speed hump in defence. He falls off tackles and doesn't make shoulder contact. Very Campo-esque indeed. It's strange too, because when he chooses to hit the ball up and there's no gap, he hits in hard - so he's obviously not afraid of the contact - he just doesn't make contact in the tackle.
anopinion
Guest
Jack Petro, You said, "Cut the bull, it is the player’s responsibility to ensure they are capable of playing at that next level; ". I disagree, it is a shared responsibility between, the individual, the trainer, the dietician and the coach. In my comment I blamed the trainer and/or the individual (KB). I am offended by you for two reasons. 1 You suggest our comments are bull and 2 You did not even read my post.
stillmissit
Roar Guru
Doesn't matter John A according to LAS. The New! New! game is all about attack and bugger the defence at fullback.
stillmissit
Roar Guru
Very well thought out and put Jiggles. Could not agree more. I think the team aspect seems to be lost on the guys once the game goes sideways. They seem to revert to a bunch of 15 strangers throwing a ball around an oval. There is an opportunity for these guys to prove they are capable of keeping the injured on the bench. If they don't do it in BLFNTN then it is back to the bench for this bunch of triers. How disappointing that apart from Faiinga (hooker) the rest don't seem to have grabbed the opportunity. The jury is still out about Beale until after next Saturday.
Comrade Bear
Guest
Nah - Pocock is awesome at 7 - leave him in his position. Agreed Brown is not quite cutting it at 8 - but just like Waugh - you can't question his commitment - he doesn't leave anything in the tank either. So bringing in Waugh would mean you would be replaceing like(ish) for like(ish) - but moving Pocock out of position.