Wallabies veteran Kurtley Beale has expressed “surprise” at earning a recall to the national side for three Tests in the United Kingdom this month.
Beale, 32, was added to the Australian squad after Reece Hodge suffered a pectoral injury and Quade Cooper, Samu Kerevi and Sean McMahon withdrew from the spring tour to focus on their Japanese club commitments.
He started at inside centre in Racing 92’s 27-18 win over French Top 14 champions Toulouse yesterday but is being viewed primarily as a fullback option by Wallabies coach Dave Rennie.
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“I’m very excited to be joining up with the Wallabies,” Beale told reporters in France.
“A bit of a surprise but an opportunity to be amongst the national squad is an honour.
“Being away from it makes you realise how great it is, how special it is to represent your country.”
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Beale, capped 92 time for Australia, had an eventful time against Toulouse, yellow carded after 30 minutes for a high tackle that injured winger Arthur Bonneval.
“There was no intent, no malice,” Beale said.
“He was going down. It was quite fast, I went to bear hug him.
“It’s unfortunate what happened.”
Australia’s next Test is against Scotland in Edinburgh next Monday (1am AEDT).
Beale shapes as a bench option with Andrew Kellaway and Jordan Petaia more likely options at 15 as he integrates back into the squad.
“We get a chance to look at Kurtley in our group and get an understanding of how he would fit in from a cultural perspective and a rugby perspective,” Rennie said last week.
