Beale backs new ’Tahs star

Rookie steps into key role

RUGBY UNION: Kurtley Beale rates NSW Waratahs teammate Will Harrison a special player, but knows better than most the pressure associated with steering a side around the park at a young age.

Coming off a strong preseason, the 20-year-old Junior Wallabies star made his Super Rugby debut in the opening round and has retained the position for the next two weeks.

Harrison has shown some fine playmaking skills, punctuated by the odd error.

NSW vice-captain and Wallabies utility back Beale, now the veteran of the Tahs backline, attracted similar scrutiny when he played five-eighth in his first season in 2007 at the age of 18.

“You’ve always got to take that first year with eyes open and just a willingness to learn,” Beale said ahead of tonight’s Super Rugby clash with the Rebels at AAMI Park.

“I think ‘Harro’ has got that right attitude and hence that’s why he’s getting the opportunity for these first few weeks.”

Beale acknowledged Harrison needed to get better support from his teammates, with the forwards outplayed in their first two games and scoring opportunities wasted by errors.

“He’s a pretty special player Harro, once we start to click a bit and get a bit of momentum from the forwards it will help his game immensely and allow him to kind of play eyes-up footy,” Beale said.

“As a young five-eighth coming into the game, first year of Super Rugby, when your forward pack is not getting that go forward, it becomes a little difficult.”

Tonight’s clash shapes as a crunch match for both teams. The Tahs and Rebels are the only teams with no points after two rounds and both have leaked 75 points, the most in the competition.

The Waratahs will start favourites having won 15 of their 17 clashes with the Rebels, including the last six but Melbourne centre Billy Meakes said past results mattered little.

“I don’t think they’re a bogey side,”’ Meakes said.

“I think we have to recognise that in the past we probably haven’t gone as well as we’d like but we’ve had some great battles with them.

“It’s nice to face them early in the season and to face them at home. We’re confident we can get the job done.”