Super Rugby Pacific: Western Force veteran Kurtley Beale opens up two decades in the game

Kurtley Beale has seen a lot in two decades of professional rugby, but things can still take him aback. Like how the 20th pre-season of his career was one of the hardest, both physically and mentally, he has ever faced. “In terms of running, you’re tested individually, you’re put in some very dark spots, and it’s how you get out of that,” Beale told The West Australian. But having survived the Western Force pre-season program developed by former West Coast Eagles strength and conditioning guru Mark Kilgallon, Beale is proud to have come through the other side unscathed — and that means something to him. 18 months ago, Beale looked close to a Wallabies recall after he impressed on a short-term deal with the Force, but promptly tore his Achilles. After making his return with the Force last season, Beale then pinged a hamstring the week of their clash with the British and Irish Lions, although he was able to return for a representative First Nations and Pasifika XV team’s meeting with the famed touring side. “It’s been really good to be able to get my body right for the season, get it resilient to the workload and to the expectation of a certain standard of playing,” Beale said. “There was a bit of a management period there, and now I feel like I’m at peak fitness, so I’ll take a lot of confidence in that. “Being in the position I’m in now, being one of the oldest and at the back-end of my career, it was a really good time for me to invest in my training and make sure my body’s really strong and resilient to the workload. “That’s the idea of building resilience over the pre-season, so when you come to playing games, it’s second nature. You don’t have to worry about it too much; you can just focus on enjoying your rugby.” It would be wrong to label the 37-year-old one of Australian rugby’s great survivors — namely because Beale feels like he has plenty more to offer than simply collecting a paycheck and going through the motions. “I still feel like I’ve got a lot to offer, especially to this group and the organisation. I’m competing, and the fire in the belly is still there at training every day,” he said. “The love of the game (is there) every time I wake up in the morning, I enjoy going to work. I enjoy looking forward to the challenges ahead, and now, coming into the season, I enjoy looking into how we can beat the opposition. “If my body is there, my mind’s right, then there’s no obligation to not play the game. I want to keep pushing these young boys to the standard, push them and compete with them for them to be the best they can be.” When any athlete is closer to 40 than 30, there is always speculation and scuttlebutt around their future in the game, whether the next season will be their last. Beale knows the end is coming at some point — but right now, it is not tomorrow, nor the day after it. “It does cross my mind, but I approach each day and embrace the opportunity day-by-day, not get too far ahead of myself,” he said. “If there is a time, I’ll know about it, and I’ll be quite open and transparent to everyone involved: firstly to my family, then to the club. “If I think like that, it’s a negative — if you’re thinking about it before you already do it, then it’s going to be quite a toxic impact. “I’ll embrace where I’m at in this moment in time, and just enjoy the ride. Whenever that time will come, I’ll be able to express those views and feelings, but I make sure I’m staying present and doing everything I can to be influential to the group.” When Beale first joined the Force, the 95 Test veteran’s communication and leadership skills among a young side immediately stood out to coach Simon Cron. When his short-term injury contract at the end of last season, the Force were eager to bring him back and the wily utility back was recently named as part of their leadership group. Beale has certainly found a home out west and not just in Perth, where the laid-back lifestyle suits him and his young family — but also with the Force, whom he feels indebted to for helping reinvigorate his career. “It’s great to be able to share my views on a certain part of the game, or give advice to a young bloke that can give confidence to his game, and ultimately it impacts the team in helping the team go in the right direction,” he said. “I love the game, and to be able to keep giving back now is, and to be continuing and playing. I’m truly grateful to the organisation.” While the Force lost veteran scrum-half pair Nic White and Issak Fines-Leleiwasa and wing wizard Harry Potter in the off-season, they have offset their departures with former All Black George Bridge, one-cap Wallaby and ex-sevens representative Darby Lancaster and Perth-born nine Nathan Hastie. Despite the Force having never made an expanded Super Rugby finals series, Beale has his sights set on the mountain top. “The ambition is to win the comp. I definitely feel the squad we have this year is a lot stronger than we had in past, only because of the depth we’ve had in all positions,” he said. “Having depth allows us to create healthy competition at training, which then raises the standard and level of play, which then hopefully correlates to the style of play we want out on the weekends. “Touch wood, no injuries, but if we can keep that consistency throughout the whole season, and guys are rotating, so we can keep guys fresh and mentally ready to go, then having that balance, we’ll be in a really good position to push and finish most of the games we should have won last year.”