Beale involved in mid-flight incident

Wallabies coach Ewen McKenzie expects the Pumas to label this weekend's Test as a 'must win' match to validate their improvement.
Kurtley Beale was at Wallabies training, but Ewen McKenzie was not. Source: Getty Images
FRUSTRATED Wallabies coach Ewen McKenzie has admitted that he missed the team’s training session on Tuesday to deal with the controversy surrounding Kurtley Beale, who is accused of abusing a team official mid-flight last Sunday.
Beale had an argument with a female member of the team’s management during the team’s Sunday flight from Johannesburg to Sao Paulo, and she subsequently flew home to Australia on Tuesday.
The ARU’s integrity unit is now trying to ascertain the facts of the confrontation between the pair and hope to have an outcome next week.
Beale is still being considered for selection this weekend.
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Another drama involving Kurtley Beale (L) is causing problems for Ewen McKenzie. Source: Getty Images
With the Wallabies’ preparations for their match against Argentina already hampered this week by missing luggage and injuries, the drama surrounding Beale forced McKenzie to miss the crucial first training session in Buenos Aires.
“I was dealing with team matters, since we’ve been here it’s been a fairly awkward entry, bags and lots of other issues going on,” McKenzie said.
“[The Beale investigation] is an issue isn’t it, I deal with issues as they come along, they are time-consuming but matters of behaviour and integrity deserve attention.
“You attend to those matters as they crop up.”
It means McKenzie will only have one proper training run and the lighter captain’s run with the team before they play the Pumas on Saturday in a potential banana-skin match in Mendoza.
The ARU’s integrity unit, headed by Phil Thompson, is now investigating the Beale incident, liaising with McKenzie and team officials who are in Mendoza, which is 13 hours behind Sydney.

The Wallabies are expecting a hostile reception when they take on Argentina in the Rugby Championship, with the fiery home crowd known for their unsettling tactics.
McKenzie would not say whether alcohol was a factor in the incident, and while Beale is understood to have had drinks the night before, he was not drinking on the flight, which was the second leg of a three flight journey.
McKenzie conceded the investigation has hampered the team’s preparations for their final Rugby Championship match of the year.
“Of course I’m disappointed, but that won’t stop me from dealing with it,” McKenzie said.
“The team business will carry on, but you take a hit, there is no doubt you take a hit in your rhythm and routine.
“But that doesn’t give you an excuse to leave things unattended so we’ll deal with it.
“I can assure you I don’t enjoy the distraction of these things, because it takes massive amounts of time.
“These things are time-consuming, I won’t pretend that I enjoy the distraction of it.
“This team has to respond, they’re here to play football, that’s their job.
“My job is to manage that primarily, but in the end I take seriously the welfares of the players and staff.
Ewen McKenzie remains tight-lipped on exactly what happened during the flight. Source: Getty Images
“There was an incident on the plane on the way from South Africa, from that we did some preliminary investigative work and it’s been elevated to the relevant integrity people at the ARU to deal with it.
“It’s a matter under investigation.”
Beale, who has had a number of off-field indiscretions during his rugby career, is understood to have apologised soon after the encounter and has made his case to McKenzie and the integrity unit.
McKenzie was reluctant to say why the staff member who made the complaint against Beale flew back to Australia.
“The staff member has flown home, I’m not going to comment on the detail of that, but there are a lot of welfare and personal issues involved there,” he said.
McKenzie added that the investigation was not so far advanced that they could take into account Beale’s previous indiscretions when making judgment on this case.
Kurtley Beale will be sweating on the outcome of the ARU Integrity Unit’s investigation. Source: Getty Images
“We’re not that far down the track, obviously we’re aware of the history but you deal with every incident that comes along,” he said.
“Until you determine the facts fully, I’m not going to make any more judgment on it.”
McKenzie added: “I’m not an expert in HR, but I’m also cognisant that as the boss you’ve got to act on matters, and we’re doing that.
“You’ve got to protect the people involved until there is some sort of decision.
“The process is going on, it’s awkward, but welfare in these matters is paramount in my perspective.
“You already know how I’ve done these things in the past, I don’t leave these things unattended to, but I don’t always have the knowledge or solution to fix it in five minutes.
“It takes time, they always do.”
With the investigation still in its early stages, any possible sanction against Beale remains unclear, although if he is found guilty of an offence the options would range from an official reprimand, fine or suspension to the termination of his ARU contract.
It was exactly one year ago that the ARU sacked Beale’s friend and former teammate James O’Connor for repeated behavioural breaches, although O’Connor is now being welcomed back to Queensland Reds for next year.
Originally published as Beale involved in mid-flight incident
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