4 Jul 2012

Beale in race to be fit for Wallabies

12:10 pm on 4 July 2012

The Rebels utility Kurtley Beale could be in doubt for Australia's first match of the Rugby Championship after the gifted back sustained a fractured rib against Queensland in their last Super Rugby clash.

Melbourne's medical staff initially said Beale wouldn't be joining his the Wallabies team-mates in South Africa for games against the Lions and Stormers following the 32-17 loss to the Reds.

But that has now been upgraded to a stint out of up to six weeks, ruling him out of the rest of the Super Rugby season.

The Wallabies' first match is against New Zealand in Sydney in six weeks, leaving him touch and go to make the squad.