Melbourne Rebels' Kurtley Beale needs to be managed to prevent him from succumbing to off-field demons Kurtley Beale must not be let go. He must be given a chance to redeem himself. KURTLEY Beale was the toast of Aussie rugby in his most recent Test, but there was always the fear he would undo this if exposed to an off-field situation where he lost control. It is a when, not if, situation for some footballers. Beale was colossal against Wales late last year in Cardiff where he was energetic, skilful and a real leader who sealed a late Wallabies victory with a brilliant try. To keep him playing at his best his immediate environment needed to be managed closely. This is reality in the modern footy codes. The Melbourne Rebels failed to do this, and Beale does not have the self-discipline to withdraw himself from a situation where alcohol and emotion are abundant. Alcohol in a Durban bar and the emotion of a badly under-performing team with a poor team culture were a tricky mix a week ago. Where does Beale go from here? He needs to be managed smartly. He needs good people around him who understand the danger signs and can manage him. He also needs to understand that the chances he has are now limited because one more incident may be breaking point. At the ACT Brumbies, we signed Andrew Walker from the NRL for the 2000 season and knew we needed to look after him to give him a chance to play well. For example, the first time we took "Walks" on tour to South Africa we allowed him to take his wife. The senior players agreed to this rare variation from the norm, and Walks ended up being the leading try-scorer for the Brumbies for two years. We gave him a chance to be successful. In sport, you can never change the character of people, but you can give them the chance to be successful so they utilise the talent they have been given. Rugby has always been a melting pot for all sorts of characters. It has a spirit where the game is super important, but so is the way we interact away from the field. There is an unwritten notion of being respectful of all. Walks had that chance in rugby and took it. He returned to the Reds in 2007 to help develop the Coopers and Genias of the world. Beale must not be let go. The absolute essential here is that he is placed in a caring environment. Wayne Rooney, at Manchester United, is no angel. He is managed and is successful. Andrew Symonds was brilliant for Australia in cricket. He was in the Rooney boat too. Johnathan Thurston has had his issues. But, if the environment is right, these players perform. Can rugby do this for Kurtley Beale?