Kurtley Beale set to be ruled out of Australia squad after entering rehab

Kurtley Beale (GETTY IMAGES)

Kurtley Beale’s chances of playing for Australia against the British and Irish Lions next month suffered a significant reverse yesterday when his club, the Melbourne Rebels, said the back would take an indefinite leave of absence from Super Rugby and enter a private health clinic.

Last week, Beale was stood down just one match after returning from a month-long ban after an alcohol-fuelled altercation with two Rebels team-mates during a tour to South Africa. His most recent ban came after he admitted drinking alcohol with some team-mates after a match a week ago, breaching an agreement he had made with the club. The Rebels said future selection “will be dependent upon successful completion of his treatment programme”.

Beale’s long-time former mentor Glen Ella, himself an ex-Wallabies back, said: “I’d love to see him playing against the Lions but, in all honesty, I think that’s going to be part of his rehabilitation. I think he needs to sit this one out.”