To Beale or not to Beale, that is the question?

To Beale or not to Beale, that is the question? To ghost the famous line from former Stratford-Upon-Avon fly half from the late 1500’s William Shakespeare, this must be the pressing issue on coach Robbie Deans’ mind as he contemplates the semi final against New Zealand this Sunday at Eden Park.

Like Denmark itself in the time of Hamlet, Eden Park has been the scene of many Wallaby tragedies’ and Deans must contemplate the action or inaction of selection when it comes to picking his 22.

With Beale being in doubt for the do-or-die clash with a suspect hamstring, Robbie Deans finds himself torn. Does he maintaining a winning combination and risk playing the New South Welshman, or take the cautious approach, excluding Beale and ensuring his fitness for a potential final berth?

It is the classic conundrum coaches dread. These situations also present themselves at the most in-opportune times – take Darren Lockyer in the NRL finals, Richie McCaw’s ongoing foot problems, and Heinrich Brussow for the Springboks most recently.

In rugby terms this weekend for Australia and New Zealand is a life and death equation. In considering the Dane’s speech, where Hamlet uses “being” to allude to both life and action, and “not being” to death and inaction, any fault in Deans’ ultimate decision to select Beale or not could lead to the life or death of the Wallabies’ World Cup campaign for 2011.

It is as cut and dry as that. As Beale has been a mainstay of the Wallaby campaign since he arrived as a rugby international during the 2010 Tri Nations tournament with several definitive performances.

In this World Cup, the Wallaby backline has failed to consistently provide points for the Wallaby cause, however their defence against the Springbok’s last week is now stuff of legend and the collective experience of victory in battle galvanizes men into a functioning unit of which Beale was one.

Deans must contemplate the impact of not selecting Beale and re-shuffling his backline to take on the might of the All Blacks whose backline has had its own concerns but has still managed to score tries.

Like a playwright with so much creativity welled inside them but unsure how to express themselves it would be fair to say the Wallaby attack to a degree has suffered from an acute case of writers block.

It is evident that all the words are there to deliver a classic Wallaby performance however these words are all jumbled up in the Wallaby minds. By removing a vital cog in Beale, this may only prolong the block. Or, could it free up the mind and provide clarity for action?

There are several options at coach Deans’ disposal if Beale is not selected. I personally would look for an option that disrupts the Wallaby backline as little as possible yet still provides creativity, speed and resilience.

I would switch James O’Conner to full-back and bring Lachlan Turner onto the wing. O’Conner was sublime in both defence and attack last week and the freedom the 15 jumper provides is suited to him. Turner conversely is a seasoned campaigner with speed to burn.

The All Blacks will have to go through him because not many get around him. Turner’s speed also adds value to a kick chase game, of which the chase lacked somewhat against the South Africans.

Whatever Deans’ ultimate selection is, none will matter too much to the opposition.

In the hearts and minds of many New Zealanders Robbie Deans’ has already committed the greatest act of betrayal by coaching the Wallabies.

However my dear friends, Robbie’s countrymen, we are still in the final act and as much as Deans’ may love New Zealand in his heart, he has put his own fate above those of the All Blacks and may still yet have more kiwi blood on his hands come the final whistle on Sunday.

This would leave those loving the Silver Fern uttering those famous words “Et tu, Robbie?”