Wallabies abroad: Beale's Wasps top Premiership

Mon, May 8, 2017, 1:26 AM
Beth Newman
by Beth Newman

Kurtley Beale’s Wallabies return could be in question for the June Series as Wasps continue their run to the Premiership finals.

Beale played fullback for the top of the ladder Wasps in their 35-15 win over defending champions Saracens.

If Wasps make the final, the decider would be on May 27, just two weeks before Australia’s first June Test against Fiji in Melbourne.

Beale will, however, likely be back in the country for the back end of the Super Rugby season, though Waratahs coach Daryl Gibson said he hadn’t given any further though to the prospect.

The Wallabies missed Kurtley Beale in June. Photo: Getty ImagesAsked on Saturday night whether he had changed his mind on bringing Beale straight back in for the final two games of the season, matches which could decide the Australian conference winner, Gibson reiterated his initial position..

When Beale’s return was first announced in March, Gibson all but ruled out putting Beale straight into Super Rugby, ala Dean Mumm in 2015 after his return from Exeter.

Regardless of his return, Beale would be ineligible to play in any Waratahs finals, should they do a Steven Bradbury and top the conference.

In other Premiership results, Dave Dennis helped Exeter to a 34-20 win over Gloucester, securing their home semi-final.

Peter Betham helped Leicester to a win on the weekend. Photo:Getty ImagesJames Horwill scored the opening try for Harlequin in a narrow 22-20 loss to Northampton, Ben Tapuai played the 80 for bath at inside centre in their 27-24 loss to Sale.

Peter Betham played the full match on the wing for Leicester, as they secured fourth spot with a 28-23 win over Worcester, while Cooper Vuna played the final 14 minutes for the Warriors.

Wasps will host a semi-final against Leicester, while Exeter will host Saracens.

TOP 14

Joe Tomane helped Montpellier to a controversial win over Stade Francais. Photo: AFPWill Genia’s Stade Francais could yet play in the Top 14 finals, despite officially finishing seventh after the regular season.

Stade, without Genia in the lineup, lost to Montpellier 27-26, but are protesting the eligibility of Montpellier lock Jacques Du Plessis, who they believe should have been suspended after accumulating three yellow cards.

Montpellier say he was eligible, given his disciplinary hearing wasn’t scheduled until May 17

If Stade’s protest stands, a call that will be made on Wednesday, they would get five points for a win and leapfrog fierce rivals, Racing 92, into the finals.

Joe Tomane played out the match at inside centre, while his former Brumbies teammate Nic White came on in the 61st minute, while former Rebels prop Paul Alo Emile played the final 13 minutes for Stade.

Sitaleki Timani’s Clermont finished in second spot, securing a first-up bye in the finals, after a 30-26 win over first-place La Rochelle, though the lock played just 18 minutes.

Dan Carter ended Bordeaux’s season painfully, with the All Blacks legend scoring a 71st minute try to secure the win.

Adam Ashley-Cooper scored the first try of the clash in the 14th minute, with fellow Aussie Blair O’Connor adding to Bordeaux’s tally in the 51st, but it wasn’t enough to secure a final round victory.

Luke Jones played the entire match in the second row for Bordeaux, which will also be the Ashley-Cooper’s last in Bordeaux, after the club opted not to re-sign him.

Drew Mitchell sealed a 32-12 win for Toulon over Pau, with a 78th minute try in their last regular season game.


James O’Connor, who played the entire 80 in his first start since being disciplined over his Paris arrest earlier this year, caught some social media attention for his post-match gesture to a young fan.

Former Wallabies skipper Ben Mowen came on for Pau in the 55th minute.

Peter Kimlin’s Grenoble is set for relegation but they finished their Top 14 campaign on a high, beating Lyon 53-21, with Kimlin played at blindside flanker, with Aussie Curtis Browning in the opposing backrow at number eight.

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