Beale cleared to play
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2019 themercury.com.au SUBSCRIPTIONS 1300 696 397 KURTLEY Beale has passed all his tests since suffering a head injury last weekend and been cleared to play in the World Cup quarter-final against England.
Beale will start at fullback in a new-look team featuring teenage sensation Jordan Petaia, after the Wallabies confirmed news he was set to be picked to start at outside centre. While the decision to select the 19-year-old at outside centre for such a big match when he has only played two Tests comes as a shock to most, it can be revealed that he has been secretly training behind closed doors.
He spent time at outside centre during Australia’s warm-up camp in New Caledonia to familiarise himself with playing alongside Samu Kerevi and the pair would have played together earlier had Petaia not injured his hamstring.
It shapes as one of the biggest selection gambles the Wallabies have ever taken at a World Cup, but if it comes off it could be a masterstroke.
His selection means James O’Connor moves back to the bench and Matt To’omua moves back to the bench while Dane Hayltt-Petty missed out altogether.
Will Genia was given the nod to start at half-back ahead of Nic White and Reece Hodge has been rushed back into the starting line-up after completing the ludicrous three-match suspension he copped for his try-saving tackle on rampaging Fijian Peceli Yato. There were no surprises in the starting forward pack, but veteran front rower Sekope Kepu, Australia’s most capped prop, lost his spot on the bench to the more destructive Taniela Tupou.
England announced its own bombshell selections by dropping the in-form George Ford and moving the captain Owen Farrell to five-eighth to counter the Wallabies’ gun midfield pairing.
Manu Tuilagi will shift from outside centre to inside centre where he will be given the enviable task of trying to stop Australia’s rampaging Samu Kerevi while Henry Slade comes in to mark Petaia.
“We just feel that’s the best combination for this week,” England coach Eddie Jones said.
“Australia defend a certain way and we believe those three players can trouble their defence, and defensively we feel like it’s a pretty strong 10-12-13 combination.”