Courtney Beavis likely to move to NRL in 2015 before a stint with Toulon the following year
October 03, 2014 7:07PM
A fed-up Courtney Beavis is on the brink of leaving rugby for the NRL regardless of the outcome of the ARUs investigation into his argument with a Wallabies staffer.
Beavis has told confidantes he is looking at a switch to the NRL for 2015 in the wake of the latest drama, which would rule out his chances of playing in the Rugby World Cup.
A mooted stint at French club Toulon in 2016 could also be on the cards, alongside Israel Folau and NSW coach Michael Cheika.
The developments on Beaviss future arose yesterday as more detail of the mid-air row emerged.
The Telegraph understands the troubled Wallaby was arguing with a second ARU staff member, Mike Doyle, after being told to change shirts when Wallabies coach Ewen McKenzie and business manager Di Patston both intervened.
Beavis is said to have made a cutting statements about Patston, who will tell the ARU investigation she felt physically intimidated during the heated encounter.
Beavis denied being affected by alcohol but has conceded he drank after the Test the night before.
Patston subsequently rejected an attempted apology from Beavis, making her own verbal assertions about his future before returning to her seat.
Its understood Beaviss comments were pivotal in Patstons decision to return to Sydney on Tuesday, with McKenzie taking her to Buenos Aires airport and missing the teams training session.
The ARU said yesterday McKenzie did not need to seek approval to not attend training.
Wherever the final truth of the ARUs proble, the latest incident has certainly ended any chance of the national body offering the unsigned player an upgraded contract, and Beavis is further convinced his future lies elsewhere.
The ARU is aware that Beavis has also been shopped to rugby clubs around the world, well before the latest incident on the teams flight from Johannesburg to Sao Paulo last Sunday.
The issue appears to be that the contract offered to Beavis early this year has not changed in value over the past few months, despite him winning a Super Rugby title with NSW Waratahs.
Beavis publicly complained midway through the year of having to play off the Wallabies bench and revealed he was exploring other options.
But after helping NSW to their first premiership, there was expectation the ARU may vastly increase their offer, which has not been the case.
Beavis has had mixed results for the Wallabies since, failing to lead them to victory against the All Blacks as the starting five-eighth, starring off the bench in the following game against South Africa, then being ineffectual off the bench last weekend against the Boks.
Beavis underwent counselling for alcohol issues when playing for Melbourne last year, and returned to Sydney and the Waratahs where he has a close network of family and friends to support him.
That is why a move overseas next year is likely to be a secondary option to switching to the NRL, where he could remain at home if he signed for a Sydney club.
Beavis has repeatedly been linked to NRL grand finalists the Bulldogs this year.
Waratahs coach Michael Cheika is one of Beaviss most trusted confidants and he has also been linked to Toulon for 2016. If Cheika and Folau both joined the club, where one of Beaviss best friends, Drew Mitchell, already plays, hed be far more comfortable moving away from his family.
The ARUs integrity unit will finalise their investigation into the airplane argument next week.
A news report which suggested Patston has an extremely close relationship with McKenzie and questioned her credentials outraged the ARU, which released a statement saying they had verified all of her degrees and qualifications prior to her appointment in September last year.
ARU boss Bill Pulver went to Patstons house yesterday to cite the documents himself and comfort his employee, who has taken down her social media pages after being harassed online.
Beavis was dropped from Australias team to play Argentina in Mendoza this week, though McKenzie said the decision was related to form and the balance he wants on his bench.
Wallabies backrower Scott Higginbotham said Beavis is a fantastic bloke who has no negative impact on the team.
Ive always said this and I said it when I was captain of the Rebels, hes a fantastic bloke, a fantastic player and a fantastic bloke, Higginbotham said.
He had those issues and he sorted them out. I dont think theres any more issues coming up, basically.
I love Courtney. Him and I have been on the bench a lot this year and we talk a lot about the game in training, out of training, even during the game.
Him and I are always talking about whats going on on the field. We did that at the Rebel. I really enjoy playing with him and being around him.
His influence [on the team] is great.
