Waratahs coach Daryl Gibson has 12 Wallabies on his roster this season, and the missing link isn’t Israel Folau but his offsider in Kurtley Beale.
Most knockers delight in pointing out Folau is bludging, or money hungry, but the truth is he has been ignored in attack. Part of the reason for this is missing his kindred spirit in Beale, who overcame his injury to thoroughly enjoy his seven figure contract with Wasps in England.
The electricity in attack between them has probably gone forever.
Beale is greatly respected at Wasps and will almost certainly re-sign for a longer period. He reportedly has an out after one season, with Michael Cheika keen to get him back into Wallaby gold, via Super Rugby.
But will he? Beale’s life is a lot more settled and pleasant than being unappreciated at home by Cheika as a benchman.
Yet Beale is the man who set up Folau most consistently to be his devastating match-winning best.
Folau’s record 30 tries in 52 Waratah games broke Lote Tuqiri’s previous mark of 29 from 89 games.
Not having Beale around will severely dent the Waratahs’ Super Rugby campaign.
There are two options for Gibson to make – play Folau at his Wallaby position of full back, or at outside centre.
But either slot demands an inside centre with brilliance, with Rob Horne, David Horwitz, and 21-year-old rookie Irae Simone the options.
Auckland born and raised, the very talented Simone was snapped up by the Rabbitohs after leaving school for two seasons.
Last year he returned to rugby at Northern Suburbs and was instrumental in the red and black jumpers winning the Shute Shield for the first time in 41 years when Wallaby second rowers Reg Smith and Garrick Fay were on duty.
Simone won the Rookie of the Year award, and is the best bet to wear the Waratah 12 jersey this season, despite his relative inexperience.
He has x-factor written all over him at 193 cm and 106 kgs with the clout to make his presence felt.
He’ll be surrounded by Wallabies with Bernard Foley inside him, and either Folau or Horne outside, with Folau or Andrew Kellaway chiming in from the back.
Gibson has massive firepower in his 36-man squad with those 12 Wallabies owning 404 caps, with 25 boasting 1071 Super Rugby appearances between them, with the final 11, including Simone, yet to debut.
Even without Beale, Gibson has ammunition to fire all over the park. But he must have Folau find plenty of quality attacking ball with a partner in crime to really do damage.
Markus
Guest
"JOC is widely disliked and bad for team culture, always has been. Beale is the opposite." Exactly PKs point. Beale was given more second chances than any other player, especially O'Connor, because he was more well liked by players and by coaches. Being widely disliked is not a contract breaching offence.
Vic rugby
Guest
Much like quade isreals poor performance can be blamed on the team not doing enough for them? Not sure its everyone else. I remember watching the lions v wallabies game in Melbourne when beale fell over trying to kick for goal and subsequently losing the game. Who was to blame for that?
Vic rugby
Guest
Punching on with team mates is not good culture.
Jeff dustby
Guest
85% of rugby articles are about Israel or Quade
Rhys Bosley
Guest
Yup, I agree with that approach and Hunt may be able to cover the same role when Beale is not available. They appear to me to be the only two fullback options who "get it" on playmaking, unless DHP focuses on learning that this season.
PeterK
Roar Guru
ideally beale would be at 15 and chime in helping foley s needed. defence at 15 not as big an issue as at 12.
M.O.C.
Roar Guru
I think he rubbed the QLD police up the wrong way recently - probably did himself no great favours.
Bob Wire
Guest
Talking about JOC, who I do think deserved Wallaby selection, will Higgers get a chance to wear gold again? He obviously rubbed someone up the wrong way, probably MC.
soapit
Guest
i do think beale would have improved the 'simplicity in attack' part but agree defence was a bigger issue and beale wouldnt have helped there.
Paul
Guest
"Funny I heard JOC was a good team man " Did JoC tell you that? I don't recall too many tears shed at the Reds when he pack up and left
M.O.C.
Roar Guru
Hahahaha
Marto
Guest
Foley needs to be punted permananlty from the Wallabies 10 position, but he wont....
Shane D
Roar Rookie
JJ - my take is that JoC kept making the same mistakes & perhaps didn't show the hierarchy in the game the right level of remorse etc. Beale also has his champions at the higher level of the games administration that JoC alienated. If you stuff up & haven't got the support in right places you are in strife. I agree though that a fully engaged & committed JoC is an asset to Australian rugby & it's a shame he is not in the game here.
Shane D
Roar Rookie
Yep, Foley needs a creative 12 alongside him. Foleys strength is his ability to attack the line himself but he has not shown the vision to use that ability to set his outsides free. Watching him play at test level there are times when he has held the defence inside perfectly by attacking the line but then failed to throw the pass to exploit the space & time he has created for his centres. Beale seemed to have the connection with him to demand the ball at the right time.
Jibba Jabba
Roar Guru
And you heard that where exactly? And Beale is good for team culture??? Bizarre !. Funny I heard JOC was a good team man and he is a talent Oz cannot afford to waste as they currently are doing,
Oblonsky‘s Other Pun
Roar Guru
I think people overstate the importance losing Beale for the Wallabies. We didn't lose many games because we couldn't attack (Beale's strength), we lost because of a terribly simplistic game plan of Cheika's to never kick the ball, and because we conceded way too many tries. Beale'a defence is awful. It's his main weakness. Thus, he may have just exacerbated the problem. Can you imagine a 10/12 pairing of Foley + Beale at international level? Beale was treated better than almost any other Aussie player in history. Any person any other job would have lost it had they behaved like Beale (take the Patterson scandal for one - you'd have been in a hell of a lot more trouble than beale should you have done that). So Cheika didn't think Beale should start at 15 over Folau? I disagree with this, but if issue, Beale needed to work on his game to start elsewhere. Giteau started over him at the RWC, but it's fair to bet Beale would have gotten the nod at 12 for much of the international season had he stayed. Beale showed no loyalty to Australian rugby when he signed to leave midway through the Super season. If he wants to chase money then good riddance. He's behaved horribly in the past. Sure, he's improved his behaviour, but since then he's shown no loyalty despite the good faith cheika and the ARU showed him.
Rhys Bosley
Guest
Foley still plays ten like a 7s player, all he has is to run at gaps with no real kicking or passing game.
Rhys Bosley
Guest
I think Will Skeleton is the missing link ...
John
Guest
JOC is widely disliked and bad for team culture, always has been. Beale is the opposite. That is James' issue.
John
Guest
Cheika kept Beale because he knew he needed him. He lost him because he didn't value him enough and someone else did. After Beale got hurt last year everyone saw what NSW and Australia lost and they will again this year. Hence the coach trying to bring him back.