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I don’t buy into the argument that Kurtley Beale was made a scapegoat.
He did the wrong thing, he knows it, and begged Di Patston’s forgiveness in the hope that the entire thing would go away.
But as we know now it did anything but.
If Beale didn’t send the apparently worse second text, why did it take so long for that to be known? Why did he not make that fact known well before this and stop the innuendo and media speculation?
Is it any wonder that the waters are as muddied as the SCG pitch was on rugby league grand final day in 1963.
All that said it does cause concern when so many questions are unanswered.
The big one is if the ARU were prepared to rip up Beale’s lucrative ARU contract over the content of the second text, why have they not investigated who sent it? Surely if that person is a player or employee of the ARU they should live under the same threat of unemployment, or at the very least a $45k fine.
If they can use forensic phone evidence to prove Beale did not send the second – or as it is referred to now “the more offensive text” – surely the same can be done to find out who did send it.
That being the case you’d be an idiot for not asking why the ARU are not pushing for this. Is it because they know, or at the very least have an idea, and if that becomes public knowledge it could make the Beale saga look like a kid’s birthday party?
The fact that Beale, having been found guilty of bringing the game in to disrepute, fined, and had the biggest lifeline thrown at him that he will ever see, is not made to front the media and apologise to the public and the fans is also seriously concerning. To Bill Pulver’s credit he fronted the media.
If the ARU are going to be taken seriously on any level they need to sort this out. Once and for all. I’d rather just watch rugby (without the ridiculous box kicks), but the ARU played their hand. They called an independent investigation and they got it. What they didn’t get was the outcome that everyone expected – that Beale would be banished.
If the ARU does not get to the bottom of this in its entirety it’s a serious case of double standards, and they as an organisation will continue to stumble from one day to the next.
Beale is lucky to still have a job. But I honestly do hope that the only headline that I ever see about Kurtley Beale in the future is one that applauds his undeniable freakish talents on the pitch.
Join The Roar rugby editor Christy Doran, former Wallaby Matt Toomua and a cast of regular and special guests as they look at the biggest issues in the game on The Roar Rugby Podcast. If you’re looking for great odds on the next game check out Aussie bookmaker PlayUp. Chances are you’re about to lose. Set a deposit limit.