The Wallabies will take on Argentina this weekend without Kurtley Beale after the backman was dropped following a mid-air altercation with a team official.
Beale has not been sent home, however he has been left off coach Ewen McKenzie’s 23-man squad after it was revealed the player hurled a barrage of verbal abuse towards a female member of staff during a team flight from Johannesburg to Brazil.
The coach avoided questions as to whether alcohol was involved in the incident, however he did confirm the staffer had flown back to Australia.
McKenzie said the possibility of an Australian Rugby Union integrity investigation has interrupted the team’s preparation.
“The team business will carry on, but you take a hit, there is no doubt you take a hit in your rhythm and routine,” he said. “But that doesn’t give you an excuse to leave things unattended so we’ll deal with it.
“I can assure you I don’t enjoy the distraction of these things, because it takes massive amounts of time.
“These things are time-consuming, I won’t pretend that I enjoy the distraction of it.
“This team has to respond, they’re here to play football, that’s their job.
McKenzie’s new look lineup will feature James Horwill and Scott Higginbotham in the starting XV, replacing Rob Simmons (concussion) and Ben McCalman (shoulder).
Argentina head into Saturday’s clash without a win in 17 Rugby Championship Tests since entering the competition in 2012, however will enter the match on home soil confident after suffering a close 32-25 loss to the Wallabies on the Gold Coast last month.
Photo: Matt King/Getty Images
