I am Finn’s BIGGEST fan but we have plan to STOP HIM
AUSSIE STAR BEALE IS READY TO PREVENT RUSSELL RUNNING RIOT
KURTLEY BEALE readily admits that the tantalising prospect of playing alongside ‘miracle ten’ Finn Russell was one of the main reasons why he joined Racing 92 from Waratahs.
after a period in international exile, however, Beale now finds himself back in the ranks of an australian national team whose prime focus will be stopping the talismanic Scotland fly-half in his tracks in the autumn Test match at BT Murrayfield on Sunday.
and the 92-times capped star, who is in a three-way fight with andrew Kellaway and Jordan Petaia to start at full-back for Dave Rennie’s side this weekend, revealed that the Wallabies will have a plan in place to prevent his club team-mate from ‘running the show’ against them.
aware that the aussies are sure to target Russell with some big hits early on, Beale said: ‘Dave Rennie and his assistant Matt Taylor had a coaching relationship with Finn when they were at Glasgow, and Matt also coached him with Scotland, so they’ll have a plan for Finn as you definitely need one when you take him on.
‘Finn is a world-class player and, before I signed for Racing, he was the key ingredient for me to go there.
‘When I saw Finn was at ten, I knew they would play an
attacking style of game, so I didn’t really have to change too much in the way I approached my rugby. He definitely made it easier.
‘He has great vision and is a very positive influence on the guys around him and the way they play the game. He’s a great guy and he helped me settle in, being one of the foreigners at the club.
‘This will be an interesting week for me, with my knowledge of Finn, and him playing. There will be a plan to deal with him and we will have to stick to it.’
Beale says the aussies can’t afford to suffer the same way they did at Murrayfield in 2017 when Russell inspired Gregor Townsend’s side to a 53-24 win after Sekope Kepu was red-carded in the first half.
The Wallabies were 12-10 up when Kepu was dismissed for diving off his feet at a ruck and smashing head first into a grounded Hamish Watson.
‘You never like losing by a big margin,’ recalled Beale. ‘I thought we were in it up until the 60th minute but playing a man down at international level is always going to be difficult, especially when you have a miracle ten like Finn Russell in the opposition.
‘Finn loves to attack when there is space and in that game there was a lot of space. It was difficult to defend that day against a class attacking Scotland team.
‘That will be their mindset again with Finn in their team, so we must make sure we have put things in place to stop that as we know the Scots can beat us on their day.
‘They have some real class dangermen like Finn, ali Price and Stuart Hogg. They all have just come off the Lions tour and had a positive impact on that group, so no doubt they’ll be trying to run the show this weekend.’
Beale’s return to the australia squad after two years away is thanks to a change in selection policy by head coach Rennie since he left Glasgow Warriors two years ago to take over the Wallabies.
His predecessors didn’t pick overseas players as they wanted to keep their best internationals at home.
Rennie changed all that when he selected Japan-based Quade Cooper for this year’s Super Rugby championship and has now recalled 32-year-old Beale for the current tour after full-back James Banks broke his arm.
after a slow start under his stewardship, the aussies have now won their last five games.
‘I am super stoked to be part of the australian squad,’ said Beale. ‘I didn’t see it coming and I’m excited to be here. I’m playing at Racing, surrounded by some really good international players like Finn, others from France and all over, so my hunger is still there to keep pushing myself to be the best.
‘The World Cup in France in 2023 is still a goal of mine and something I want to be a part of.
‘I just keeping working hard in France and now an opportunity has come on this tour and I am honoured and grateful.’
Beale praised Rennie for creating a ‘family atmosphere’ in the aussie ranks, which was something he also tried to do during his spell in charge of Glasgow. He would invite foreign players who were on their own over the festive season to spend Christmas Day with him and his wife at their home near Stirling, and arranged meals out for the whole squad and their families.
‘There is a real family feel here from the youngest capped to the oldest and everybody feels a real brotherhood,’ said Beale.
‘I haven’t used that word in a while but it really feels like a family environment and there is a lot of respect going round. This squad is building its own identity and striving towards the next World Cup.
‘This team is going in the right direction and that is five wins in a row now. That does not come easy and guys are working hard in the background to make a difference.’