Waratahs star Kurtley Beale relishing Sharks clash as rugby makes big push into Western Sydney

As a proud Western Sydney product, Kurtley Beale knows there’s more than just Super Rugby points at stake when the Waratahs play their first match at Bankwest Stadium this weekend.

Kurtley Beale is expecting an electric atmosphere at Bankwest Stadium.

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Kurtley Beale has played so many matches over so many years for the Waratahs that even his family and closest friends don’t make it to every game.

But there’s some matches they never miss; the finals, the big personal milestones and those special games that everyone wants to say ‘I was there’.

Saturday’s match against the Sharks at Bankwest Stadium in Parramatta is one of those ‘can’t miss’ games.

Kurtley Beale is expecting an electric atmosphere at Bankwest Stadium.

For a staunchly proud Western Sydney boy who moved to the posh end of town when he was just a kid with no real idea of where it would take him, this weekend marks the moment his rollercoaster journey comes full circle, though it’s not the end of the ride.

“It’s just huge, not only for the payers but also for the fans in Western Sydney,” Beale said.

“There are so many rugby supporters in Western Sydney who just don’t get the opportunity to see the Waratahs play so it’s awesome that it’s finally happening and we can show them some love.

“I’ve got a lot of friends and family coming to this game and it really means a lot to me to be able to reconnect to the area I grew up in.”

Rugby’s push into the NRL’s heartland has been a long time coming but if it works out, it could be the gamechanger the 15-man code needs to attract the best talent.

Beale might just as easily have ended up playing league for Penrith had he not been persuaded to leave his family home in Mt Druitt in his early teens and move to St Joseph’s College on the lower North Shore.

It wasn’t easy. Although he received a scholarship to help with his boarding and tuition fees, he also had to dip into his Abstudy grants and money he received after being signed for NSW while still at school.

But he’s repaid everyone for the faith they showed in him, with more than a decade of distinguished service to the Waratahs and Wallabies, and now wants to give something back to the area where it all started for him.

Kurtley Beale and Israel Folau have been good mates for years.

“The Bankwest Stadium obviously looks amazing and it’s going to be an electric atmosphere playing there but it’s more than that,” Beale said.

“This is an area that’s been dominated by NRL and now soccer’s getting strong there as well, so this is an awesome opportunity to promote the game in Western Sydney, which is really important for us as a club.”

It’s also an important game for Beale on a personal level after he took over as fullback last week when Israel Folau was stood down for his anti-gay social media posts.

No stranger to controversy himself, Beale has been friends with Folau for years so understands what he’s going through, but also knows he has a job to do for the team.

Last week, when the Waratahs really needed it, Beale had his best game of the season, helping the side to a crucial win over the Rebels as well as pushing his claims to wear the No. 15 jersey at the World Cup.

“We’ve been good mates for years so I’ve been in contact with him, just to check that he’s OK, because obviously there’s a bit of a process going on,” Beale said.

“But from a team point of view, we just have to keep moving and staying tight as a group and making sure we don’t get distracted by this.

“I feel like I’ve got the ability to adapt to any position and with Izzy’s situation at the moment, there’s an opportunity for me to really step up and take on that fullback role and help the team so that’s what I’m trying to do.”