Days after Stephen Hoiles declared “there is no doubt” Kurtley Beale was ready for a Super Rugby return, triple-international Michael O’Connor believes Australia’s Sevens outfit should consider inviting the 95-cap Wallaby to train with the squad ahead of July’s Paris Olympics.
What’s more, O’Connor, who played alongside the Ella brothers before making a successful code switch and carving out a stellar career in rugby league, believes Beale could cut it in the NRL if given the opportunity.
“When you look at what’s running around, you could easily see him fitting into a game of rugby league,” O’Connor told The Roar. “It’s just finding the right club.
“I think he’d work well with another ball player.
“He’s got some footwork that will take him through the line, which is necessary in league, and it’s less crowded in thirteens.
“He’s a good footballer. He’s got a good sense of when to go and when not. While I think he’s more of a runner, he can ball play and if you get that mix right in league, you’ve got a pretty good five-eighth.”
Kurtley Beale made his return to rugby for Randwick during their Club Rugby Championship loss to Brothers at Crosby Park on March 16, 2024 in Brisbane. (Photo by Albert Perez/Getty Images)
Beale, who was cleared of rape charges last month, played his first rugby match in more than a year last week as he ran out for Hoiles’ Randwick side in the Australian Club Championship against Brothers.
Randwick lost narrowly, but Beale was sharp on his return, kicking long from the opening kick off and making a pivotal linebreak on his line and second involvement moments later to play his part in a coast-to-coast try to get the Galloping Greens back within a few points.
Hoiles, who replaced Beale after 54 minutes to ensure he didn’t bust him in his return, was thrilled by his former teammate’s return.
“In all honesty, he played 50 minutes and was probably the most dangerous looking player on the field,” Hoiles said on Stan Sport’s Between Two Posts.
“Excellent, sharp, fit, fast. And he needed that – he had a very, very tough week. Condolences to his family.
“He just got cleared to play on the Monday and then sadly lost his brother on Thursday night. So we weren’t sure until right up until kick off if he’d play. But, yeah, he was really, really good on the field for Randwick.”
Asked if he was ready for a Super Rugby recall, Hoiles emphatically said yes.
“There is no doubt,” Hoiles said.
“Don’t even get me started on that. He just had a spark about him.
“He wanted to stay on it. I just thought a 35-year-old who hasn’t played for 15 months, probably didn’t need 80 minutes.
“I almost tore a hammy watching him.”
With Super Rugby rosters full, Beale will have to bide his time for a recall.
His best chance of making a return in the competition is if a side is hit hard with injuries, with the Rebels particularly thin in their playmaking stocks below Carter Gordon.
Another option that could yet present itself is if Beale was invited to train with John Manenti’s sevens side.
It’s understood Manenti is open to Beale coming down and training, but that won’t occur over the next fortnight with the Hong Kong Sevens to get underway early next month.
While Australia’s men’s sevens team has made two finals this season, the side has struggled with consistency and lacks one or two playmaking weapons.
They are also heavily reliant on fellow Indigenous star Maurice Longbottom.
On the evidence of last week’s club hit out for Randwick, where Beale showed he had lost none of his speed nor playmaking skills, the Wallabies back could give Manenti another ace up his sleeve particularly if injuries strike.
O’Connor, who played at the Hong Kong Sevens for Australia and later coached the side, as well as served as a Wallabies selector in 2007 and 2019, said it was an option worth exploring.
“Why wouldn’t you?” O’Connor said.
“He’s certainly got some attacking flair and he hasn’t lost that.
“He’s very fit, he’s got a great mindset now he’s got that court stuff behind him. I think he’s got a point to prove. He’s not ready to hang his boots up, so why not.
Wallabies legend Michael O’Connor believes Kurtley Beale could succeed for Australia at the Olympics. (Photo by Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images)
“I reckon the blokes would love him. He’s a really nice kid. That’s a lot of it. You’re going to be away with the likeminded players, who really are there for the right reasons and they want to do well and I think he’d bring the young guys through.
“I don’t see any downside in it. I’d certainly be looking at it because I know he’s a positive influence around the team and where he is in his career I think he’s got a point to prove.
“He wouldn’t play all the minutes, but if you managed him he could jump on and make a difference, particularly with seven players on the field.”
Beale is set to take the field against Eastwood this weekend, where he will line up alongside returning Waratahs young gun Will Harrison.
Meanwhile, former Wallabies captain Michael Hooper is firming to make his long-awaited debut under Manenti after adjusting to the conditioning required to play sevens.
His expected call-up comes after Antoine Dupont, who is arguably the world’s best fifteens player, led Frace to their first World Series title in 19 years last month in Los Angeles.
Eldon
Roar Rookie
Cook me some eegs bro .Tigers have won 2 from 3. :laughing: :laughing:
AgainAgain
Roar Rookie
Ok, great kicker, solid inder the high ball… because he couldn’t have not been. His ability to kick and catch a high ball under pressure just got worse over time. Makes absolutely no sense to me personally, but it must be true.. he was bad, then got good and then went bad again. His frailties were just imagined. I think we can agree to differ. Just for the record he played so poorly at fb against the ABs and Bok, he was dropped.. that was 2012. Then Quade got injured and they ran him at first five for the rest of the season. Is this one of the years he was excellent?
kingplaymaker
Roar Guru
As someone says above he was shortlisted for IRB world player of the year 2011 and won the Eales medal for best Wallaby 2010. That doesn't happen with the weakness under the high ball, pressure, or kicking issues. He's had nearly a 100 cap career and there are different phases. Before 2009-2010 he had inconsistencies and problems, and others from 2014, but for a few years in between he was excellent and these were minimised. I watched everything carefully.
AgainAgain
Roar Rookie
I don’t know a single person that has gone backwards in regards range of kicks or ability to catch a high ball for any reason. The fact you think his ability was ever fine in kicking, catching and defence is because in the games you watched he wasn’t under pressure in those particular areas. As soon as teams started testing him, he fell apart. I too have watched his games across the period you mentioned and I do not hold the same view. His kicking may not be an issue if you compare him to other pop gun kickers, but against real fullbacks who can exit of which Dagg is one of the better ones, there is simply no comparison; not then, not now, not ever and to suggest he was ever level pegging or better than Dagg is just absolute nonsense. He could run and step quite well but that is it. But on one thing I do agree he lost confidence and his catching of the high ball got worse to the point he couldn’t catch a cold even uncontested, but that had nothing to do with coaching or changing positions, that was because teams who could kick and catch put him under pressure.
Muzzo
Roar Rookie
Obviously AA, we all know that Beale was part of the ' Three Amigos ' back in the day , with Cooper & O'Connor, but now I really think they all have matured with age, as many do. So I think many here should realise that, & not hold the eternal grudge.
Muzzo
Roar Rookie
TBH Beale would mix in with Longbottom really well, with their known natural flares, in the Seven's. He'd be a natural, plus then there would be two of the squad that wouldn't sing the national anthem, as they rightfully choose.
Doctordbx
Roar Rookie
I bet he would tell you which city he lives in if you asked.
kingplaymaker
Roar Guru
I remember the period perfectly. In his early days he was both a little flaky and sometimes didn't kick that well, but by 2010 achieved reliability in both and for about four years was fine in both areas. What happened next may have to do with coaching or off-field issues, or being shuffled around positions, but for that one period before he was oustanding.
AgainAgain
Roar Rookie
Sure they did… he was always flaky under the high ball and his kicking has always been lightweight. You seriously believe it was coaching that led him to be a liability under the high ball and not have any distance on his kicking. He didn’t get worse, he got exposed.
Rocky's Rules
Roar Rookie
@Mike Well said. I'll add that KB is one of the few players I've seen who was a good Test player (never great) at age 24 and by age 30 he'd deteriorated into being barely provincial standard. Due to his well known alchohol problems...... Many fans also forget that when KB was in his prime in his early 20s he was mostly a bench player for WBs.
Rocky's Rules
Roar Rookie
I'm not sure who's funnier - Hoiles or O'Connor :laughing: :silly: :stoked:
Tony Dargon
Roar Guru
They'd be like a couple of AFL goal umpires
kingplaymaker
Roar Guru
Note that this person Charlie Mackay doesn't reply. Any incendiary post by someone who then doesn't reply is suspicious. Who are they, what do they represent and how are they personally involved?
kingplaymaker
Roar Guru
2009-2014 was perfect in all capacities. Performance changed with the coaching.
Cam Watts
Roar Rookie
Best in the world??? BAHAHAHA!!!!!!
Cam Watts
Roar Rookie
Tell him he's dreamin!
Honest Max
Roar Rookie
KB struggled under the high ball, which isn't ideal for a fullback.
Honest Max
Roar Rookie
And Luke Morahan played most of his rugby on the wing...... it's pretty tough to argue that Morahan, who played zero tests at fullback (3 in total) was a superior fullback to KB who was a regular there for many years and played almost 100 in total.
Super Hans
Roar Rookie
Only nominated for IRB best player of the year in 2011. Clearly never worked at fullback?? Kurtley has unfortunately has consistently been dismissed by a stubborn segment of onlookers. Wouldn’t surprise me if you thought Donaldson was a preferred option.
Bodger
Roar Rookie
Reckon he’d go well in 7s. He’d also go well at 15 behind a well structured Wallabies. But I’d really like to see Wright or Kellaway really own the 15 jersey but Beale is certainly an experienced option and we need depth.