Waratahs contract extension for Kurtley Beale

The Waratahs have announced the re-signing of experienced Wallabies back Kurtley Beale on a one-year deal for the 2020 Super Rugby season.

Beale’s deal with the Waratahs and Rugby Australia could see him within reaching distance of the organisation’s all-time appearance record.

This latest extension will see the versatile back enter his 11th season as a Waratah, in a journey that began as a 16-year-old following his time at St Joseph’s College and the Australian Schoolboys.

Beale currently has 156 Super Rugby caps to his name, with 142 of them in the sky blue of New South Wales – just nine games shy of Benn Robinson’s all-time record.

NSWRU General Manager of Rugby, Tim Rapp, said that Beale’s leadership within a young group of outside backs was a major factor in his re-signing.

“Kurtey is an extremely talented player, there’s no doubting that,” Rapp said.

“We’ve seen what he can do on the field over a number of years, the positions he can cover in the backline and the way he can break a game open from anywhere.

“Kurtley is going to have a really important role to play with some of our younger outside backs – like Lalakai [Foketi], Cam [Clarke] and Alex [Newsome] – imparting the experience he’s gained at Super Rugby and Test level with those guys.

“He’s embraced his role as a senior figure over the last two seasons and we want him to take that to another level, because we feel he has a really important role to play both on and off the field in 2020.”

Speaking while on break from Wallaby camp during the 2019 Rugby Championship, Beale said he was happy to remain at the club where it all began for him.

“I’ve spent the vast majority of my career here in New South Wales representing the Waratahs, it’s been an honour and something I’ll always be thankful for,” Beale said.

“To represent your home state in a competition like Super Rugby, having made wonderful memories and friends is really special – I’m looking forward to building on that in 2020.

“Obviously, World Cup years bring about change and we’re in an exciting period here at the Waratahs with some exciting young players and a new coach to be appointed.

“To be able to play a part in that journey is exciting, and I’m looking forward to seeing what we can achieve in 2020.”