Sanity resumed at ARU headquarters last night with Kurtley Beale fined $45,000 for breaching the Code of Conduct, but free to join the Wallabies end of year tour.
The Wallabies left yesterday for their tour while Beale was giving the evidence that saved his career.
“I’m happy the evidence presented to the tribunal did not establish that I sent the second text and photograph.”
“That’s why I fought so hard to prove my innocence,” Beale said after knowing his fate.
The whole affair has been badly handled from the get go, but thankfully the end result means Beale stays in rugby.
While Beale has apologised for his actions – which were daft in the first place – he was found not guilty of sending a more serious text message.
But there has been no mention of any apology from the so-called Wallaby business manager Di Patston. Nor has there been any apology forthcoming from former Wallaby coach Ewen McKenzie, whose treatment of Beale – including his refusal to select him – deserved explanation.
In short, Patston and McKenzie have both got off Scott free, which was easy to do once they resigned their ARU posts. As a result they were not required to give any evidence last night.
The bottom line, and the best news yet in the last month, is that Kurtley Beale will resume his career immediately. With Michael Cheika the new coach, Beale will blossom as he did with the Waratahs.
Beale was dying on the vine under McKenzie’s watch, and would have switched to rugby league had the issues been left up in the air.
For years rugby has been guilty of sweeping anything too hard under the carpet. But thankfully the Beale debacle was met head on, and a justifiable result has been reached.
The three-man Code of Conduct panel was chaired by District Court judge Mark Williams SC, with John Boultbee representing the Rugby Union Players Association, and barrister Dominic Villa representing the ARU.
It appears the real truth will never surface. In the lead-up to last night’s hearing there was the chance that Beale was going to be burned at the stake and held responsible as the scapegoat for the text affairs.
But the Beale evidence must have been strong for the panel to come up with the $45,000 fine after a hearing lasting four hours, with two additional hours of deliberation.
Now the Wallabies can get on with the business of winning all five games on this current tour. Perhaps today we’ll find out when Kurtley Beale will join his teammates, who will be delighted with the result.
Most Wallabies would be pleased that Beale is on his way, especially skipper Michael Hooper, vice-captain Adam Ashley-Cooper and John Eales Medal-winner Israel Folau, who all spoke up in defence of Beale in the lead-up to the hearing.
Now it’s all over, let’s get on with rugby.
Caj
Guest
It seems you need to be re-eduated D-Mac... http://www.theaustralian.com.au/sport/opinion/australian-rugby-sacrificed-so-kurtley-beale-can-stay-at-the-waratahs/story-e6frg7v6-1227105275873?login=1 Wayne Smith seems to understand the majority mindset completely, how about you try to get your head around it.
Caj
Guest
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/sport/opinion/australian-rugby-sacrificed-so-kurtley-beale-can-stay-at-the-waratahs/story-e6frg7v6-1227105275873?login=1 Wayne Smith seems to understand the majority mindset completely.
Ken
Guest
Just cus he used the name jocelyn you assumed he is a woman lol ,obvious troll
Mike
Guest
No sorry El Gamba, that isn't the case. You appear to think McKenzie is God,whereby he makes a statement and its "up to others to disprove" McKenzie makes a claim, just like everybody else, and his credibility is looking increasingly shaky. "if it is at all relevant to the case of KB. Which it isn’t." No, actually it is. Patston tried to bring up Beale's past behaviour in June when the issue of the argument on the plane came up. In that case, it is relevant if McKenzie knew about it and didn't think it required reporting - especially when it now appears that the text she actually received was not the one she told the ARU she received. "nothing wrong with that…. really?!" That is not at all what I wrote. Stop your grubby false accusations. And re your final and totally inappropriate comment, yes I do have daughters, and on the basis of your word-twisting just now you are just the sort of person I would not permit near them.
Crystal Ball
Guest
Lords article should be censored!
handles
Guest
Sorry - so in your world, if you are circulating a text message, with an image, amongst all your work mates, about a colleague, it only becomes offensive if you accidentally send it to the person in question? Otherwise it is just harmless fun? Got it now.
handles
Guest
handles
Guest
That is a straight out invention. She - Di Patson - from every reported source, asked Kurtley Beale to change into the appropiate team travel shirt, at the instruction of the coach. He - Kurtley Beale - changed his shirt and then said something offensive to her after he had complied with the request. If you can bend these reported facts to fit your warped world view, then there is little I can do to wake you from your coma.
PiratesRugby
Guest
Actually, the sending of the first text was proven. And David wants Di Patston to apologise? What for? No one said she didn't receive the second image, just that it could't be proven it came from Beale. So why should she apologise? And what has Ewen Mckenzie got to do with it? He says he wan't aware until recently of the texts' existence. That fact was not challenged at the hearing. If it was, it certainly wasn't something which the tribunal was called to decide upon. Someone made some noise about there being evidence to the contrary. Still waiting for that.
Sandy
Guest
If I was Di Patston, I would be more upset about the fact that some people think I can't make my own decision. She accepted an apology. You're saying if it was your wife or daughter you would be telling them how to think and act. You don't seem to be giving the woman much credit Rabbitz.
Mattsctr
Guest
This is a disgraceful article. Beale was found guilty and fined a huge amount, so to print an expectation that the victim and coach apologise is poor judgement at best and downright offensive.
strupper2003
Guest
Let's move on?
Big punt
Guest
I don't think that is true, could you please detail the 9 code of conduct breaches?
Ruckin' Oaf
Guest
"So did he break into a house and steal a laptop or not ?" No idea, her certainly wasn't found guilty of any such offence "Were the police involved or not – if yes = Why?" Yes the police were involved as it's their job to investigate complaints and lay charges if they think it's appropriate. It's not the job of the police to decide guilt or innocence and many innocent people do get arrested or charged. "Was he rescued by ARU or QRU or whoever" I have no idea. "And the complaint was dropped wasn't it?" The matter was successfully settled via justice mediation, that being the case the prosecutor advised the court that they would offer no evidence on the charge and the charge was dismissed. "Was the complainant paid off? Please advise…" I have no idea, justice mediation settlements are confidential and not published. Any speculation would be futile.
KTinHK
Roar Pro
hmmm..... but what if he actually didn't send the text in question?
KTinHK
Roar Pro
but gender's OK.....
KTinHK
Roar Pro
Unc, Maybe not. Read this: http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/rugby/kurtley-beale-affair-exposes-glaring-management-failures-within-australian-rugby/story-fnp0m104-1227101595086?nk=667f99251438de702520bcef49e0da25
KTinHK
Roar Pro
Sometimes when things seem to be falling apart, they're actually falling into place.
KTinHK
Roar Pro
Sometimes when things seem to be falling apart, they're actually falling into place.
Uncle Eric
Guest
No matter how you look at this( and a lot of comment is being made about matters which we don't have all the evidence on), one thing is abundantly clear, Beale should have been sacked on the basis of his stupidity. Really is he so dumb that he sends the text to Ms Patston by accident? This on top of all his other indiscretions, should have been the final straw. Wonder what JOC's views on all this are?