Veteran Wallabies playmaker Kurtley Beale makes his comeback from a long-term injury for the Western Force against the Blues on Friday.
The 36-year-old has been recovering from a ruptured Achilles tendon, an injury he suffered in June while on club duty for Randwick, just days after being named in the Wallabies squad.
Beale played the last of his 95 Tests in November of 2021, a 29-28 reverse against Wales in Cardiff. Force coach Simon Cron has picked the veteran to start at fullback as the Perth team travels to Auckland to battle the Blues in round 12 of Super Rugby.
Beale’s return is a timely reinforcement for the Force, hanging onto sixth place with a one-point lead over the Waratahs, and also for Australia as the Wallabies gear up to battle the British & Irish Lions in June.
The Lions’ tour to Australia features three Tests against the Wallabies, in Brisbane (19 July), Melbourne (26 July) and Sydney (2 August).
🔙 @kurtley_beale‘s back!
📺 @StanSportAU Mon 8 Nov 1:15am AEDT#SCOvAUS #Wallabies @eToroAU @CadburyAU pic.twitter.com/5ytw9DadVS
— Wallabies (@wallabies) November 6, 2021
Photo: Janelle St Pierre/Getty Images