Kurtley Beale will miss an opportunity for redemption against the Lions, 12 years after slipping and missing a crucial penalty in the first Test that would have given the Wallabies a 1-0 lead.
Ben Donaldson has been rushed to Perth from the Wallabies’ camp in Sydney and will start at fullback for the Force against a Lions team smarting from their shock four-point defeat against Argentina in Dublin.
In an interview with this masthead earlier this year, Beale revealed he had still not watched the decisive moment from 2013 he described as one of his lowest points.
“I still haven’t watched that clip, mate,” Beale said. “I have tried to forget about it, but I’m always reminded somehow. It was probably one of the lowest points on the field for me, but it was also a valuable experience.”
Beale’s hamstring injury is not considered serious and he is still in contention for another crack at the Lions, after being named as one of five players selected for the First Nations and Pasifika squad for the tour match in Melbourne on 22 July.
Beale will hope to play alongside Wallabies back-rowers Rob Leota and Seru Uru in that fixture.
Kurtley Beale slips and misses a penalty kick that could have won the first Test for the Wallabies in 2013.Credit: Getty Images
The Force have named a strong side to take on the Lions, including Wallabies squad members Nic White, Darcy Swain and Nick Champion de Crespigny.
Tom Robertson will start at loosehead alongside Brandon Paenga-Amosa at hooker, with Perth-born loosehead Ollie Hoskins – who will play his final game of professional rugby on Saturday at tighthead – completing the front row.
Hoskins’ farewell appearance in Perth comes after English club Saracens granted him a unique one-game loan deal to play in the showpiece fixture.
Hoskins started his career at the Force before carving out a long career in England’s Premiership, finishing with Saracens and earning a single Wallabies cap in 2021 against England as an emergency replacement.
It will also be the final game for retiring second-rower Sam Carter, who will start for the Force 12 years after defeating the Lions with the Brumbies.
Force captain Jeremy Williams, star breakaway Carlo Tizzano and winger Harry Potter are all unavailable due to being in Wallabies camp ahead of next Sunday’s Test against Fiji in Newcastle.
The Force will take on the Lions in front of the biggest crowd in their history, with over 45,000 spectators expected on Saturday evening at Optus Stadium.
The Lions squad will be named later today at 6:30pm AEST, with coach Andy Farrell likely to name a strong side.
MORE TO COME
