Wallabies coach Ewen McKenzie insists Kurtley Beale’s axing for Saturday’s clash with Argentina has nothing to do with the ARU’s investigation into the playmaker’s off-field conduct.
The ARU is investigating a verbal altercation between Beale and Wallabies business manager Di Patston during a flight from South Africa to South America on Sunday.
McKenzie, though, says he and his three assistant coaches merely couldn’t find room for the troubled star on a bench containing six forwards and only two backs for a match they expect to be extremely physical.
Beale played poorly after being introduced in the second half of Australia’s 28-10 loss to South Africa last Saturday, a match in which the Wallabies led 10-8 entering the final 10 minutes.
McKenzie has preferred the more abrasive Rob Horne as backline cover for when the heat is on against the rugged Pumas.
“We think it’s going to be fairly physical and we want to have a strong defensive finish to the end of the game,” McKenzie said on Thursday.
“So we concentrated on that around selections and that’s where we are.”
McKenzie and former captain James Horwill said the mood remained positive in the Australian camp despite the swirling controversies and a difficult build-up.
“Players, they’re footballers in the end and their job is to play football,” McKenzie said.
“So the best thing they can do in terms of contributing is to do exactly that.”
Beale trained as usual with the Wallabies on Thursday and, looking sharp, is available for a late reprieve should anyone go down between now and kick-off.
The coach said the discarded backline ace was being monitored by Wallabies staff.
“The welfare’s paramount so we’ve got systems in place,” McKenzie said.
“So we just keep moving forward.”
McKenzie doesn’t believe the Wallabies’ recent troubles indicate there is a deeper malaise in the playing ranks.
“I’m comfortable with the progress we’re making,” he said.
“There are moments in time where things aren’t as you’d like but, as a whole, there has been a lot of progress made.”
Horwill, promoted to start on Saturday as a replacement for concussed lock Rob Simmons, said despite the Beale incident, he didn’t believe there’d been any cultural problems since McKenzie succeeded Robbie Deans last year.
“It’s been quite clear and been made quite public that it won’t be tolerated, behavioural incidents,” Horwill said.
“The whole thing for us is team first. Everything that you do, whether it’s on or off the field, away from here, the team is first.
“Ewen’s made that very clear, from the day he got in, that it’s about the team, what we can do best for the team, moving forward.
“That’s been something that’s been a good change for the team and I think it’s been positive.
“You can’t say … nothing’s ever going to happen; that’s not human nature.
“We’ve got to keep working on it, but I feel that the culture is in a good place.”
Monday's Expert
Guest
Of the three one has shown that he's willing to learn?
Wilson
Guest
Still missing some valuable information here Roar. Ask why the Operations Manager left the Wallaby camp on the eve of the tour to South Africa & Argentina. This means the team had NO Ops Manager. This dispute with Beale, abuse of power by EM's offsider may not have had happened if the Ops Manager had not left his role. But the reasons he left are because of the person who works too close to EM! There is more here than meets the media eye.
HarryT
Guest
Surely this ARU top up system they have is also dividing the playing group. Players who have devoted their whole life to rugby, must either secretly or overtly hate the fact that while they have to wait 2 years for their top up, some one like Izzy waltzes in from another code and leaves the kitty empty. A couple of poor games from Izzy and some rumours of him leaving for even more money, would get a lot of knickers in a twist.
Ball'n'all
Guest
What exactly are you unsure about? Check SMH for most of the details. The HR/discipline boss having a shouting match over some small matter is really bad form for that person. This is described as an argument, not a one sided verbal attack by Beale. Beale is employed to play rugby, she is employed, among many other things (according to her heavily edited then deleted Linked In profile) to look after HR/Discipline.. ie specialist at managing relationships, which she has proved incapable of doing. The players have come out today to demand Beale stay on tour and that the accusations of physical intimidation are rubbish. The player group are backing Beale big time. To you think that is because Beale is such a terrible person who, unprovoked, was being so horrible and nasty to poor little Di?
Ball'n'all
Guest
That's not what his fellow players are saying. In fact they have over-ruled EM and insisted he stay on tour.
Ball'n'all
Guest
+ 1. The Wallabies are about the players playing Rugby. Not some back office person who job flows from the players, not the other way around.
Ball'n'all
Guest
Don't forget they were missing luggage and the limited amount of clothes in the carry on luggage may have been dirty. Maybe KB has serious BO and is uncomfortable wearing his smelly shirt in a confined space. There are plenty of possible reasons for this other than him doing it just to piss off EM. Maybe it was deliberate provocation, but maybe it wasn't. We don't know. However, I am convinced that the Boss (DP) has left the tour because she now knows that the player group has no respect for her and her authority. Why is that? And claims that she felt physically threatened, sitting next to EM and surrounded by Wallabies..... ridiculous and a story the players refute. Says something about her character that she would make such an accusation..
Ball'n'all
Guest
Handing control of the Wallabies over to NH clubs is not in the best interests of the Australian Rugby. Of the top 4 teams in the world, three select from their domestic comps, and SA has only recently changed over. There has already been a detrimental effect on SA super rugby this year from the outflow of senior players. Why would the ARU want to deliberately make itself like Fiji, Samoa, Argentina etc and have no control over the availability, training, tactics and injury management of its players? Not to mention that such a move will devalue Super Rugby. The best strategy for the ARU is to try to emulate the best in the world, not follow the path of countries who struggle to make the top 10.
Ball'n'all
Guest
Not bye bye beale. Player revolt lead by Hooper to keep beale on tour. The player group have no respect for this all powerful force behind EM who apparently thinks she has sway over selection.
Harry Jones
Expert
I don't understand Link. And Beale sounds like an absolute train wreck. How does Link distinguish between JOC (horrible, excommunicated), Beale (prodigal son), and Quade (awesome VC)? What's going on w Link?
stu
Guest
Agree. I have no faith in EM. Cheika to take the spring tour and the run up to the world cup.
Ronaldo
Guest
Too many comments here are about Beale. Forget about Beale … it's about Link!! Sack him now while there is still time before the RWC. It's ten minutes to midnight.,
Worlds Biggest
Guest
Well said Eagle, KB was firing at the Tahs but to play him at 10 was madness by Link. His confidence is down and now it appears this latest farce ( who the hell is Di Patston - business manager ??? ) while drive him out of the game. Australian Rugby is not in a position to flippantly say see you later KB. Cheika got the best out of him. Stick at it KB, in 2016 Cheika could well be Wallaby coach.
Lionel B
Guest
Beale would probably be feeling more deflated at being told he is not good enough for the match day 23, than be told he is not selected on disciplinary grounds, "ie naughty school boys get quite a kick out of being punished for disciplinary reasons ".
John
Guest
The elephant in the room is whether the head coach has entered into a personal relationship with this married employee. If so, and their relationship hasn't been declared, her rise from "Admin Assistant to Chief Disciplinarian and HR superwoman" is fundamentally flawed on a number of levels. If the players know this, which it seems they do, the entire culture of the Wallabies is in complete and utter disarray at perhaps the most crucial time in the lead-up to next year's World Cup. There can only be one option moving forward and it isn't lambasting one of the players in a media circus.
Thunderguts
Guest
Shows you where EM priorities are when he takes his "assistant" to the airport ahead of being available to his players at a coaching session. EM is no man manager and this incident only reinforces that fact. Beale is definitely the scapegoat and will be used by the ARU as the fall guy.
Monday's Expert
Guest
What I do know is that the admin was sent home on the next plane.
Monday's Expert
Guest
He'd be picking bits of Inglis' studs out of himself for years.
Campbell Watts
Guest
Are they short a water boy??
Rugger
Guest
Why is this so-called all powerful business manager traveling with the team in the first place. Agree with Kevin, get rid of Mike and Di that show ponies. We need KB at fullback and Izzy on wing to be chance. KB's contract has dragged on this long, why? Why cant ARU tie up its best talent or have they deemed him surplus to requirement in which case Tahs are biggest losers. ARU need to understand Wallaby-centric approach will lead to rugby's market share shrinking in light of competition and surely stronger Tahs has to be priority. This top-down approach has to change.