Kurtley Beale is the frontrunner to fill the five-eighth hot seat as the NSW Waratahs prepare for life after Bernard Foley.
With Foley, NSW’s most-capped No.10, among several senior figures to head overseas following this year’s World Cup, the Waratahs will enter the 2020 Super Rugby season seriously short on experienced playmakers.
But new coach Rob Penney isn’t fretting while conceding he will be relying “heaps” on Beale and Wallabies captain Michael Hooper to lead the new-look Tahs’ youngest squad in years.
“Michael Hooper and Kurtley have certainly been the heart and soul here but for Australian rugby as well, with massive responsibility. I would envisage they would be desperate to make this team function as well as they can,” Penney said on Friday.
“So that’s why they are getting a bit of an extended break. Hopefully they are using that wisely, I am sure they are. They’ll come back excited to put boots on again.”
Beale is likely to start the season in the No.10 jumper he wore routinely – including as a teenager in the Waratahs’ 2008 final loss to the Crusaders – before Foley made the position his own under, firstly, Michael Cheika and then Penney’s predecessor and fellow Kiwi head coach Daryl Gibson.
Randwick rookie Will Harrison and one-time former Melbourne Storm NRL player Mack Mason are Penney’s other options to fill the all-important playmaker role.
“We are pretty relaxed about that situation at the moment. We want to build from within and we want to give those boys our full backing,” Penney said.
In addition to Foley moving to Japan, the Waratahs have also lost fellow stalwarts Nick Phipps – meaning they’ll need a brand new halves pairing in 2020 – Sekope Kepu and Curtis Rona, while World Cup stars Adam Ashley-Cooper and Tolu Latu remain uncontracted.
Still, Penney is refusing to believe 2020 will be a rebuilding year as he eyes Australian conference honours and a place in the finals.
“You have got to go in believing. If you don’t have hope, then it’s hopeless,” he said.
“There’s a massive degree of excitement around what the future can look like, which is great and there’s a nice blend in the age profiles.
“There’s some youthful exuberance and some maturity that gives it a lovely balance. It’s very early doors but very, very positive about what the potential is like going forward.
“I think rebuilding can be a dangerous term. You can fall into a bit of a trap when you’re fundamentally trying to make excuses.”
Waxhead
Roar Rookie
@Tooly Beale was 6th best fullback in Aust in 2019 imo. All clearly better were DHP, Banks, Speight, Hodge and Maddocks. Beale only got picked due to blatant favouritism by Cheika imo. And then he performed at the RWC consistent with his form the past 3 yrs - poorly :)
Bourkos
Roar Rookie
Thank Darryl Gibson's foresight
jeznez
Roar Guru
Good enough for third or fourth choice. Bigger issue is that Gibson didn't develop the first and second choices enough, despite knowing Foley was off. Hopefully Mason, Harrison and Donaldson go well and we don't need to see KB there.
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
Probably a really important factor is the games I point to were the most recent... 7 years ago... Form from then is basically irrelevant now.
Oblonsky‘s Other Pun
Roar Guru
Yeah he did a good job filling in for the Wallabies in 2010. That was under Deans’ very structured game plan. He had really clear instructions on how to play, and what he had to do was quite limited. He played well against England there from memory. Barnes helped a lot though.
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
He played 10 in 2012 and looked good. But I agree with what you say.
Oblonsky‘s Other Pun
Roar Guru
Not convinced that he is likely to be a test quality back up. He hasn’t really been a test quality international at fullback or inside centre for several years, and those were always the positions he looked more comfortable at than flyhalf. You could argue this was due to the coaching he received at the Wallabies and the Waratahs, however. He was better at 10 under Link.
Doctordbx
Roar Rookie
12 years ago :stoked:
Doctordbx
Roar Rookie
It didn't help in Japan... it's not gonna help in the Waratahs. All these old blokes need to go take the golden handshake and head north.
Doctordbx
Roar Rookie
Beale hasn't been good in 5 years. This time next year it will be 6.
Rugnut
Guest
The most overrated player in the past 5 years. Why RA continues to use him as the pin up boy is incredible. Reflects Cheika’s failure to appoint players on form rather than what they “might” be able to offer
tsuru
Roar Rookie
Thanks Jez
jcmasher
Roar Rookie
How people see him as a 10 is beyond me. He can only pass to the left and can’t do that well. He crabs across the field taking up everyone else’s room, he cant tackle and throws wild passes to miss getting hit. If this is the solution then I think the Tahs are in for a rough season
Tooly
Roar Rookie
Waxy. Finding a better fullback than Beale world wide would be difficult, let alone in Australia. Our only other is Banks. Smith, Barrett, Le Roux, Williams , Kearney and the bloke from Japan all miss the odd tackle and drop the odd ball. Most of them attack out wide , Beale goes up the middle trying to create space others.
Waxhead
Roar Rookie
I don't believe Penney would be silly enough to play Beale at flyhalf for Tahs. He didn't say it either. Unfortunately, Tahs have got great young talent Will Harrison and should be trying to develop him at flyhalf asap. Unfortunately for Harrison that is. Penney should be trying to recruit a better fullback than Beale too so can leave him on the bench.
jeznez
Roar Guru
Still negotiating
Bobby
Roar Rookie
IF he wants to play rugby, offer him rookie contract of $100k and see how passionate he really is.
Joe King
Guest
I think he is sufficient at provincial level. And if he has more time there, he could be a back up for the Wallabies as well.
tsuru
Roar Rookie
Any news on AAC? I had assumed he was re-signing for the Tahs. They need his experience - even if only as a mentor to some of the young guys.
Stu B.
Guest
New coach, poor bugger down to the bottom of the barrell, terrible situation for the heart and control of Australin rugby with a population of around 7 m, it has only taken 20 years to get here.