The troubled Wallabies back Kurtley Beale is taking an indefinite break from rugby having checked into a private health clinic to deal with a drinking problem.
Beale was stood down from his Super Rugby side Melbourne Rebels last week for the second time this season after breaching behavioural guidelines related to a programme to deal with his alcohol issues.
The treatment puts Beale's participation in the upcoming British and Irish Lions tour in jeopardy, with the Wallabies coach Robbie Deans due to name a preliminary squad of 25 this weekend for the three-test series.
24-year-old Beale was suspended from the Rebels in March for more than a month after punching two of his team mates in South Africa.
He was fined 40-thousand dollars by the Australian Rugby Union and agreed to undergo counselling.
Beale's former mentor Glen Ella has advised him to admit his alcohol problems and forget about playing against the Lions.
