EXCLUSIVE: Greats rap 'awesome' return as 'sharp' Kurtley Beale lays down marker for Force
Kurtley Beale's return from a long-term injury layoff has left two former Wallabies stars impressed, claiming he looked "at home" lining up in the Super Rugby competition.
The 36-year-old missed almost a year of action after rupturing his Achilles during a Shute Shield fixture for Randwick, but defied the odds to make it back on the field.
Overcoming such a serious injury at Beale's age is no mean feat, with the 95-time Wallabies representative admitting he weighed up retiring from the sport.
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But in a quality performance for the Force in their loss against the Auckland Blues, the utility back finished with a try and 122 run metres in an energetic display.
Kurtley Beale in action against the Blues. Getty
Speaking on Stan Sports' Between Two Posts, former teammate James Horwill said was happy to see the 2011 John Eales Medal winner back doing what he loves.
"You speak to anyone that's come back from an Achilles injury - particularly at the back-end of your career - they talk about the confidence level," Horwill said.
"He didn't miss a beat and I think it's awesome for him. He's been through a bit over the last 12-18 months and just to see him put that behind him.
"He seems at home and the most fun he seems to have is on a footy pitch when he's around the boys. That's his home and to see that smile is great for Australian rugby."
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Beale's early efforts could place him back in the mix for Wallabies selection later this year for the all-important British and Irish Lions series, even if it's an outside chance.
Morgan Turinui was impressed by the output from Beale in his first match back and believes it was "as good a sign" as anyone could have expected given the situation.
Kurtley Beale. Getty
"He looked quick, he looked sharp and he played big minutes," Turinui said.
"It wasn't a 20-minute cameo, they needed him to play big minutes and he did.
"He seems happy and settled over there … lots of things are really positive around this long-term injury comeback. That's as good a sign as you could have hoped for."
Beale will be in action again when the Force clash with the third-placed Brumbies on Saturday night.
