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Heartbreak for recalled Wallaby Beale with fears of career-ending injury
By AAP
Scans on Kurtley Beale are expected to confirm the recalled Wallabies veteran has ruptured his achilles, possibly bringing an end to his rugby career.
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The 35-year-old, who was last week announced in Joe Schmidt’s maiden 38-man squad, was helped from the field during a Sydney club rugby match on Saturday.
The utility back came off the bench for Randwick against Eastern Suburbs but went down untouched in the back-field.
A Wallabies spokesman said Beale he would go for scans on Monday, with an achilles injury suspected.
Beale was in line to make his return to the national side and add to his 95-Test career, having last played for the Wallabies in 2021.
Australia’s first Test under new coach Schmidt is against Wales on Saturday at Allianz Stadium in Sydney, with a second match in Melbourne on July 13.
The Wales double-header will be followed by a one-off Test against Georgia in Sydney on July 20.
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It’s understood Beale was permitted to turn out for Randwick after being told he wouldn’t face the Welsh next weekend.
He had returned to rugby this Super season with the Western Force after a 12-month stand-down by Rugby Australia following serious legal charges, of which he was cleared.
Having made his debut for Australia in 2008, Beale had said he hoped to press his selection claims for next year’s series against the touring British and Irish Lions.
“I’m just super-excited to be amongst the guys again and really excited for the opportunity ahead,” he said upon his Wallabies recall.
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“It’s been a while now but I’m ready to rip in.
“Although you’d think at the time it’s a long shot, I always had a lot of self-belief.”
Schmidt, who took over following Eddie Jones’s disastrous World Cup campaign, will announce his matchday squad on Thursday.
Thank goodness. His selection in the Wallaby squad was just a sop by Schmidt to the Tahs and an attempt by Schmidt to undermine the Wallabies.
Everything alright there mate?
Why do sports do that when theres no need? You are not law enforcement, stop doing that.
They have legal obligations as an employer and administrator of the game. Did you not hear what he was accused of? They are required by law to provide a duty of care to all of their staff. He could have been in situations where he was around female backroom and support staff when in camp.
He’s since been cleared so fair enough but they wouldn’t have been certain that would happen.
The proceedings were on going and they don’t want to have to deal with any negative press around him playing, it would do too much damage to an already fragile image of the game down under