Kurtley Beale’s call to ignore huge money in England shows value of Wallabies jersey, says Daryl Gibson

WARATAHS coach Daryl Gibson says Kurtley Beale’s decision to turn his back on a mountain of English cash paints a powerful picture of the value of the Wallabies’ jersey.

Lure of the Wallabies jersey brought Kurtley Beale home.

WARATAHS coach Daryl Gibson says Kurtley Beale’s decision to turn his back on a mountain of English money and head home paints a powerful picture of the value of the Wallabies’ jersey to Australian players.

But NSW fans may have to wait until 2018 until they see Beale pull on the sky blue Waratahs jersey again, however, with Gibson saying it’s “pretty unlikely” he’ll make a cameo for his old club in the last rounds of this Super Rugby season.

“I am not going to say no but certainly it’s unlikely,” Gibson said.

With grey clouds lingering above Australian rugby, there was no mistaking the lift in spirits yesterday when people woke to news Beale would leave UK club Wasps and head home.

After steady lobbying from Wallabies coach Michael Cheika, Beale declined to extend a $1 million-plus-a-year contract with Wasps and re-signed with the ARU and NSW to the end of 2019.

Lure of the Wallabies jersey brought Kurtley Beale home.

Beale said his decision was based on pursuing a spot in the Wallabies 2019 World Cup squad.

But given Beale has 60 caps and could have taken the money and the Test caps under Giteau’s Law, the 28-year-old’s call to move home was celebrated as a significant win for Australian rugby — both on and off the field.

“I think the best place for me and my rugby right now is in Australia and I love what Cheik (Michael Cheika) is doing with the Wallabies,” Beale said in a statement.

Playing for Cheika again was a huge part of Beale’s call. The Wallabies coach revealed earlier in the week he’d all-but dangled the starting no. 12 jersey as a tempting carrot for Beale, who was frustrated by his super sub role in 2015.

“Even though he’s only been gone a year, it’s a very different Wallabies team now but he will have an important role to play for Australia and the Waratahs as well,” Cheika said.

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The Waratahs woke to news slightly later in Durban and though captain Michael Hooper said he wasn’t surprised knowing Beale’s “passion” for the gold and blue jerseys, he was very happy.

“The want to come back and play well is huge for KB, I am sure. He will be so excited about the opportunity. That’s probably the most exciting thing about this. He is super pumped to come back and play,” Hooper said.

Cheika said 10-12 players had turned down big money to stay in Australia recently, and Beale is among a smaller, newer and no-less significant group of prodigal sons coming home from Europe: including Sekope Kepu, Quade Cooper and Leroy Houston.

“It is a vote for the international game and the Wallabies jersey,” Gibson said.

“It’s wonderful. We have players who will forgo a big money payday and chase a dream. It is fantastic. It is a similar story in New Zealand. Israel Dagg and Ben Smith turning down big offers to be part of a legacy and it is an important thing.”

KB carving up for Wasps.

With Beale’s Wasps side on top of the table, and likely to go deep in the Avivia Premiership finals, the star back won’t be home until late May. He’s expected to play for the Wallabies in June but with only two Super Rugby rounds left in July, he wouldn’t be eligible for the finals in any case.

Waiting until 2018 is a small price given the Tahs are willing to pay as the biggest winners of Beale’s decision. They will get Beale’s talent his cut-through marketability in the crowded Sydney sports market.

“It’s another hero of the game returning ... it is another (star) people in the rugby landscape know and can associate with and want to go watch,” Waratahs CEO Andrew Hore said.

“But even in non-rugby landscapes too. That’s key. If rugby is to grow, we need to be reaching people who aren’t interested in rugby, that general sports fan.

“And Kurtley Beale is one of those of guys with a profile outside of the normal rugby demographic. That’s where he brings real potential value from a commercial perspective.”

Originally published as Kurtley Beale’s call to ignore huge money in England shows value of Wallabies jersey, says Daryl Gibson