Having rejoined his Wallabies 'family', Kurtley Beale is out to leave a positive impact on the group as he pushes for his return.
Beale was a shock call-up for the remainder of the Spring Tour after injuries to Tom Banks (arm) and Reece Hodge (pectoral).
Catch all the action in the Spring Tour on Stan Sport. Start your Free Sport Trial Now
Plying his trade with French club Racing 92, the 92-capped veteran admitted the passion for the jersey never wavered as he cherishes his return.
“It was a bit of a surprise call up,” Beale admitted to reporters on Wednesday.
“I’ve been following the group from afar, watching the progression over the past couple of years.
“Obviously Banky (Tom Banks) and Hodgey (Reece Hodge) have been doing a fine job at fullback. It’s unfortunate that they got injured but with the Wallabies coming over, they needed some help in the position so Dave gave me a call. Super stoked, didn’t see it coming but really excited to be here.”
Having played under three separate Wallaby coaches, Beale instantly recognised and was impressed by the strong culture and 'brotherhood' under Dave Rennie.
Culture and by extension, an acceptance of culture has been a main pillar of the Rennie era, with the 32-year-old looking to help the side grow their identity heading forward.
“You can just see how they’ve grown so much,” Beale explained. “The leadership from Dave and the coaching staff and Hoops, they’re growing and you see can a lot of the guys are feeling comfortable now. They’re young, fresh faces but they’re now feeling comfortable in their position.
“Coming in for the first time, you can really see a change in culture, the standards and professionalism are really high and it’s a credit to the group, guys buying into the leadership of Dave and the vision that he wants to strive for and go by.
“…I just think it’s a real family feel here. No matter if you are the youngest, oldest, the most or least capped, everyone feels like there’s a real brotherhood here.
“I haven’t used that word in a while but you feel like family in the environment. There’s a lot of respect thrown around and the guys are working really hard.
“It was a great opportunity for a new group to start their own identity and build on it to drive to the next World Cup. Guys like Hunter (Paisami), the young boys are really coming into their own, finding a voice and coming into their own. It’s great to see and certainly going in the right direction, you can see in the five games in a row.”
READ MORE:
IMPRESSIONS: Skelton pushing for selection
DEJA VU: Tupou out to make good on debut defeat
OPPORTUNITY: McKenzie, Leonard to feature in Super Rugby Aupiki
His desire for a call-up and a shot at a fourth World Cup in 2023 time was heightened watching the rise and redemption stories of Quade Cooper and James O'Connor over the past 18-24 months.
Seeing his fellow 'Three Amigos' shine has Beale extra motivated to make an impact, even if he's only there for a short period.
“It just made me eager to be back, to try and get back. It’d motivated me more,” he said on Cooper’s return.
“It definitely made me realise it is a special environment to be a part of. It was great to see Quade and (Samu) Kerevi back, they had a real positive influence on the group. You could see how Quade controlled the game, it just allowed the rest of the team to play their natural game and hopefully, I can have that same influence when I’m here.
“I know James (O’Connor) is doing a great job in that ten jersey and I’m sure he’s had a great influence on the group. Seeing guys like that come back and have a positive influence motivated me more to try and put my case forward when an opportunity came forward.”
