Wallabies Kurtley May Beale with Wasps

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Kurtley Beale is reportedly set to sign a record two-year deal worth A$2.7 million (Australian dollars) with the London Wasps, according to reports in the Daily Mail.

Such a deal is unlikely to be matched by the Australian Rugby Union even if Beale enters into a flexible deal which allows him to play in Japan.

It would make the Waratahs and Wallabies inside centre the highest-paid player in the English premiership, and the equal-highest paid Australian abroad along with Matt Giteau at Toulon.

Crucially, the 27-year-old – who has a troubled disciplinary record – would still be able to play for the Wallabies given he has now played 60 Tests for Australia.

The Wasps director of rugby Dai Young, while unwilling to discuss specific transfer negotiations, said: “You’ve got to do your own due diligence.

“You certainly don’t want to bring anyone into this environment who’s going to upset the apple cart with the players.

“I certainly don’t want to bring anyone here who won’t maintain the standards of what we expect of Wasps players and staff. I take my responsibilities very seriously on that.

“A lot of people make mistakes, and I’m sure me and you have made a few when we were younger. Some are more documented than others.

“But I’m confident anybody I bring into this environment I’ve done my homework on. What they’ve done in the past is the past.

“But I’m confident that any player who is in this environment will not reflect poorly on Wasps.”

Should Beale arrive, he will team up with the former England fly-half Danny Cipriani who will return to his first club from Sale next season.

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Waratahs Thrash Reds at Allianz Stadium

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NSW Waratahs made a successful start to the Daryl Gibson era and inflicted more misery on arch rivals Queensland with a 30-10 win in their opening-round Super rugby match in Sydney. The Tahs scored four tries to one on Saturday night, racking up their fifth straight win over the Reds, in front of 24,044 spectators at Allianz Stadium.

The bonus-point performance emulated the Brumbies’ effort against the Hurricanes and set up an early season blockbuster between the two leading Australian franchises on Friday in Canberra. The Tahs showed plenty of sparkle before the break with the new playmaking duo of five-eighth Kurtley Beale and inside centre David Horwitz prominent.

They lost some gloss after half-time as Queensland’s pack fought hard to earn their side a foothold in the game. First-half tries to captain and openside flanker Michael Hooper, winger Matt Carraro and debutant Horwitz set up a 20-0 halftime buffer for the home team. Hooper crashed over from close range, Carraro pounced on a loose ball and the impressive Horwitz touched down after toeing the ball ahead.

The Reds showed more fight against a less impressive Waratahs outfit after the break, scoring 10 unanswered points in the third quarter. Five-eighth Jake McIntyre dummied his way over for the visitors’ only try just before the hour. Needing to get three tries ahead of the Reds to earn a bonus point, the Tahs crossed for their fourth five-pointer in the 62nd minute, when impressive halfback Nick Phipps won the chase to a Beale kick.

The Reds contributed to their downfall with some poor discipline, conceding four penalties in the first eight minutes and had a man sin-binned in each half. Referee Angus Gardner warned Queensland captain and lock Rob Simmons in the eighth minute, after his team had conceded those first four penalties, that the Reds risked having someone sent to the bin if they didn’t clean up their act. 

Simmons didn’t heed the warning as he was sin-binned five minutes later. No-nonsense Australian official Gardner also delivered a stern lecture to both front rows just before halftime.

In the second half, he sin-binned two reserve props, the Reds’ Sam Talaki and the Waratahs’ Jeremy Tilse. An injury to centre and Reds debutant Henry Taefu meant Japanese World Cup star back Ayumu Goromaru was on after just 27 minutes, a bonus for the large Japanese media contingent attending the game. He scored the Reds’ first points from a 37-metre penalty in the 45th minute, missed with another attempt from slightly further out a few minutes later, but converted McIntyre’s try.

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Wallabies Beat French Tourists

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Australia overcame the first-minute loss of captain Stephen Moore to a knee injury as they ran in seven tries against France in the first Test.

Tries from Israel Folau, Adam Ashley-Cooper, Michael Hooper and Matt Toomua helped them into a 29-9 half-time lead.

Nick Cummins, Kurtley Beale and Pat McCabe added further scores, France replying late on through Morgan Parra and a penalty try.

"It's a great start for us, the boys scored some great tries," said Moore.

"Unfortunately I wasn't out there for much of it," added the 31-year-old hooker, but who now faces a scan to determine whether he can play again in the series.

The two next two Tests are being staged in Melbourne on 14 June and Sydney on 21 June.

Fly-half Bernard Foley converted six of the seven tries and also landed a penalty for Australia, who have not lost to France at home in 24 years.

The Wallabies had already secured a 50-9 lead when Parra finally crossed for the visitors.

Frederic Michalak, who kicked an early drop-goal and two penalties for France, converted that score and the penalty try.

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