Rugby World Cup 2015: Kurtley Beale older, wiser and a key part of an ‘experienced’ Wallabies squad

KURTLEY Beale says he is the same person he was 12 months ago, but you only have to look at him to know he is not.

United States' Louis Stanfill, left, and Phillip Thiel, right, defend against Australia's Kurtley Beale, front, during the second half of an international rugby test match at Soldier Field, Saturday, Sept. 5, 2015, in Chicago. Australia won 47-10. (AP Photo/Kamil Krzaczynski)

KURTLEY Beale says he is the same person he was 12 months ago, but you only have to look at him to know he is not.

Around this time last year Beale was embroiled in arguably the biggest brouhaha in Australian rugby history. The so-called “Textgate” affair led to the resignation of Wallaby coach Ewen McKenzie, a legal battle between the ARU and former business manager Di Patston being settled out of court, and Beale’s contract almost torn up.

When he arrived late to the Wallabies Spring tour having served a suspension and been hit with a $45,000 fine, he met the media after being thrown straight into the Test against Ireland, radiating all the body language of a whipped cur.

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He seemed unfit, both physically and emotionally; could hardly look reporters in the eye, and stumbled over answers to simple questions as if he was sitting in the dock at Supreme Court.

Fast forward to Soldier Field, Chicago on Sunday morning after he had played a starring role in Australia’s 47-10 win over the USA.

Beale showed flashes of his old form against USA in Chicago.

He bounds out of the Wallabies dressing room like Superman exiting a phonebox. He looks so fit it’s almost embarrassing, and answers every question with a smile.

When I observe that he’s a totally different person to the one I spoke to back in Dublin he says, “I’m the same person mate. What do you mean, I got better looking?”

When I explain that he’s not carrying the same baggage of a year ago, he agrees.

“I’m very happy where I am at the moment. Rugby wise, my body is feeling great. I feel I can do things out on the field that I probably couldn’t do back then. In that sense I’m very pleased and very grateful that I’m back in the mix of things again.

“I’ve just re-signed with Australian rugby and everything is going very smoothly. We’ve got a really good group of guys who support each other, morale is building and having played in the last World Cup I know how important that is going into a tournament like this.”

They are also a group that seems totally focused on the job. Unlike, it must be said, the way some players appeared to swept up in the pop-star element of the last World Cup in New Zealand.

When the so-called Three Amigos — Beale, Quade Cooper and James O’Connor — sashayed into their first press conference in Auckland it was, said one veteran Irish journalist, “like the Beatles”.

Beale nods in agreement when I say that there was more of a “fun element” among some of the younger players at the time.

“There was,” he says. “But those young guys are now the experienced guys. Before the All Blacks won their last World Cup they went through a couple of tournaments with young blokes and they didn’t handle it.

“You learn from experience. You learn from your mistakes.”