Beale’s leaving it to Hodge
HE kicked a 50m goal from the sideline to beat the Springboks on the Wallabies’ last visit to Bloemfontein.
But Kurtley Beale won’t be putting his hand up for more long- range bombs when Australia returns to the same venue this week.
He doesn’t have to. Not when Reece Hodge is in the team, and is equipped with a cannon in his right boot that can kick goals from well over 60m in the thin air of the South African high- veldt.
“Nah, mate. Hodgey’s your man,” Beale said. “I back him, he’s got a great boot on him.”
Last year, before the Wallabies’ Test in Pretoria, Hodge used the high altitude to send kicks over from “at least 60 on the angle” in training. He had announced himself in Test rugby a month earlier by nailing a 55m penalty against the All Blacks.
When Beale kicked a postsiren penalty in 2010 from about 47 metres out — but with extra length added for being near the sideline — it secured the Wallabies’ first win on the high veldt in 47 years.
Now older and wiser, the Wallabies’ centre still treasures the memory. “To win the ( first) game up on the high veldt in 40 years, it was a pretty special moment for me and for the team,” Beale said.
When the Wallabies won a penalty in the 79th minute, and with Matt Giteau off, Beale stepped forward to kick it. He hit it flush and though it pushed a little left it went over. The Wallabies won 41- 39.
“It felt good and as soon as it went over I was swamped by the boys,” Beale said.
The Wallabies flew over to Johannesburg on Saturday, giving themselves a full seven days to acclimatise to the altitude.