Kurtley Beale’s hopes of facing the Lions received a major boost today after the assault charge levelled against him was dropped.
Beale had been charged following an alleged altercation with a bouncer on the morning before the first Test between Australia and Wales last summer.
The star utility back was reported to have struck the bouncer after being refused entry to a Brisbane night spot with close friend and fellow Wallaby Quade Cooper.
The case has now been settled by mediation with his alleged victim, meaning that Queensland Police have subsequently dropped the charges against him.
The latest developments were announced in a Brisbane courtroom earlier today but no details of the settlement were disclosed.
Beale wasn’t in court to hear the decision as he continues to get his life outside rugby back on track in Sydney after being suspended indefinitely by both the Australian Rugby Union and the Rebels for a separate, more recent incident.
The 24-year-old was ready to return from a broken hand last month but was instead sent home from the Rebels’ tour of South Africa after he allegedly verbally abused skipper Gareth Delve after a night out in Durban and was subsequently involved in a bust up with Wallaby wing Cooper Vuna.
The squad were on the team bus on the way back to the hotel from a Durban bar following their 64-7 loss to the Sharks when the incident occurred, with reports suggesting that Beale had not taken kindly to Delve's request that he put his shirt back on before they reached the hotel.
Vuna then stepped in, later posting on Twitter that he had been punched by Beale: "I need to leave right now, this ain't for me! I tried to help someone but got punched so instead of putting him in hospital I'll leave!" was Vuna’s initial assessment of events.
Beale agreed to "an indefinite stand down from playing" and accepted a heavy fine, with no date yet set for his potential comeback.
He was left out of last weekend’s Wallaby training camp but head coach Robbie Deans has refused to close the door on his hopes of facing the Lions and the dismissal of the assault charge will at least been seen as a step in the right direction as far as the ARU are concerned.
