Latest news with #Beale
The Advertiser
11 hours ago
- Sport
- The Advertiser
'It's crazy': Wallabies relive infamous burger brouhaha
It remains etched forever in Lions series folklore but 2013 Wallabies teammates reckon Kurtley Beale and James O'Connor's infamous early-morning burger bust was "blown out of proportion".Beale and O'Connor being captured at 3.50am at a fast food outlet between the first and second Tests of the previous series in Australia, 12 years ago, sent Fleet Street into a frenzy. Sans Quade Cooper, the other two of Australian rugby's so-called 'Three Amigos' watched their then-club side Melbourne Rebels lose to the British and Irish Lions' mid-week outfit 35-0 in Melbourne before heading to a post-match function. Rugby Australia accepted the pair's explanation that they had not been drinking and opted to take no disciplinary action Beale and O'Connor, who helped the Wallabies level the series four days later with a 16-15 victory over the Lions. "We were just hungry," Beale told AAP this week while reflecting on the "error in judgement". "We went in there and got a feed, and then we were heading back to the hotel. And then these guys took the photo and they put it in the paper. "I thought we were doing a good thing, saying 'G'day'. These lads were full of alcohol and sent it into the paper. And here we are. "I mean, looking at it now, I don't really see anything of it really." Nor did Beale's teammates. "I was vice-captain at the time and I didn't think about it as being a big deal," halfback Will Genia told AAP. "They just had Burger King on a Tuesday night and we had Wednesday off. "The biggest thing was probably that they were out late. If they were going to be up late, they probably would have been better off being in their rooms. "But at the end of the day, I thought that was blown out of proportion. "Those sorts of things happen. Like players are in their room til three o'clock in the morning playing PlayStation or whatever the games are called these days. "What that does go to show, though, is the level of scrutiny and the level of attention that is on these tours is a different level. "And that's what I loved about it. That's what I really enjoyed about it. I love that it was this massive event." Looking back, Beale shrugs off the episode as "another embarrassing moment where it probably got taken out of perspective a bit". "We didn't really know any better," he said. "We still turned up the next day, rocked up, still trained, did our job for the team."But understanding now how that could have a negative impact on the team and the look, we could probably look back and regret that decision."But there was no intention to go out. It was the time when social media was starting to get out."It's one that you just look back on and just got to understand the power of social media. "With phones, people have got a camera everywhere. It's crazy." More than a decade on, Beale's missed late penalty kick when he had the chance to boot Australia to victory in the first Test three days earlier remains the more regrettable slip-up for he and Genia. "The pitch was a bit soggy and I wasn't wearing studs that day either. I was wearing moulds, which is probably the biggest learning curve I've taken," recalls Beale, who still "looks away" whenever footage of the slip is shown. While he doesn't blame Beale, Genia maintains that missed shot at goal and a loose kick from Berrick Barnes that allowed George North to score in the Lions' 23-21 win ultimately proved the turning point of the series. "The reason I can say we we lost the series is we should have won the first Test," Genia said. "We won the second but it took a lot out of us emotionally to come back and win that, and then we were probably a bit flat. We couldn't recover emotionally." It remains etched forever in Lions series folklore but 2013 Wallabies teammates reckon Kurtley Beale and James O'Connor's infamous early-morning burger bust was "blown out of proportion".Beale and O'Connor being captured at 3.50am at a fast food outlet between the first and second Tests of the previous series in Australia, 12 years ago, sent Fleet Street into a frenzy. Sans Quade Cooper, the other two of Australian rugby's so-called 'Three Amigos' watched their then-club side Melbourne Rebels lose to the British and Irish Lions' mid-week outfit 35-0 in Melbourne before heading to a post-match function. Rugby Australia accepted the pair's explanation that they had not been drinking and opted to take no disciplinary action Beale and O'Connor, who helped the Wallabies level the series four days later with a 16-15 victory over the Lions. "We were just hungry," Beale told AAP this week while reflecting on the "error in judgement". "We went in there and got a feed, and then we were heading back to the hotel. And then these guys took the photo and they put it in the paper. "I thought we were doing a good thing, saying 'G'day'. These lads were full of alcohol and sent it into the paper. And here we are. "I mean, looking at it now, I don't really see anything of it really." Nor did Beale's teammates. "I was vice-captain at the time and I didn't think about it as being a big deal," halfback Will Genia told AAP. "They just had Burger King on a Tuesday night and we had Wednesday off. "The biggest thing was probably that they were out late. If they were going to be up late, they probably would have been better off being in their rooms. "But at the end of the day, I thought that was blown out of proportion. "Those sorts of things happen. Like players are in their room til three o'clock in the morning playing PlayStation or whatever the games are called these days. "What that does go to show, though, is the level of scrutiny and the level of attention that is on these tours is a different level. "And that's what I loved about it. That's what I really enjoyed about it. I love that it was this massive event." Looking back, Beale shrugs off the episode as "another embarrassing moment where it probably got taken out of perspective a bit". "We didn't really know any better," he said. "We still turned up the next day, rocked up, still trained, did our job for the team."But understanding now how that could have a negative impact on the team and the look, we could probably look back and regret that decision."But there was no intention to go out. It was the time when social media was starting to get out."It's one that you just look back on and just got to understand the power of social media. "With phones, people have got a camera everywhere. It's crazy." More than a decade on, Beale's missed late penalty kick when he had the chance to boot Australia to victory in the first Test three days earlier remains the more regrettable slip-up for he and Genia. "The pitch was a bit soggy and I wasn't wearing studs that day either. I was wearing moulds, which is probably the biggest learning curve I've taken," recalls Beale, who still "looks away" whenever footage of the slip is shown. While he doesn't blame Beale, Genia maintains that missed shot at goal and a loose kick from Berrick Barnes that allowed George North to score in the Lions' 23-21 win ultimately proved the turning point of the series. "The reason I can say we we lost the series is we should have won the first Test," Genia said. "We won the second but it took a lot out of us emotionally to come back and win that, and then we were probably a bit flat. We couldn't recover emotionally." It remains etched forever in Lions series folklore but 2013 Wallabies teammates reckon Kurtley Beale and James O'Connor's infamous early-morning burger bust was "blown out of proportion".Beale and O'Connor being captured at 3.50am at a fast food outlet between the first and second Tests of the previous series in Australia, 12 years ago, sent Fleet Street into a frenzy. Sans Quade Cooper, the other two of Australian rugby's so-called 'Three Amigos' watched their then-club side Melbourne Rebels lose to the British and Irish Lions' mid-week outfit 35-0 in Melbourne before heading to a post-match function. Rugby Australia accepted the pair's explanation that they had not been drinking and opted to take no disciplinary action Beale and O'Connor, who helped the Wallabies level the series four days later with a 16-15 victory over the Lions. "We were just hungry," Beale told AAP this week while reflecting on the "error in judgement". "We went in there and got a feed, and then we were heading back to the hotel. And then these guys took the photo and they put it in the paper. "I thought we were doing a good thing, saying 'G'day'. These lads were full of alcohol and sent it into the paper. And here we are. "I mean, looking at it now, I don't really see anything of it really." Nor did Beale's teammates. "I was vice-captain at the time and I didn't think about it as being a big deal," halfback Will Genia told AAP. "They just had Burger King on a Tuesday night and we had Wednesday off. "The biggest thing was probably that they were out late. If they were going to be up late, they probably would have been better off being in their rooms. "But at the end of the day, I thought that was blown out of proportion. "Those sorts of things happen. Like players are in their room til three o'clock in the morning playing PlayStation or whatever the games are called these days. "What that does go to show, though, is the level of scrutiny and the level of attention that is on these tours is a different level. "And that's what I loved about it. That's what I really enjoyed about it. I love that it was this massive event." Looking back, Beale shrugs off the episode as "another embarrassing moment where it probably got taken out of perspective a bit". "We didn't really know any better," he said. "We still turned up the next day, rocked up, still trained, did our job for the team."But understanding now how that could have a negative impact on the team and the look, we could probably look back and regret that decision."But there was no intention to go out. It was the time when social media was starting to get out."It's one that you just look back on and just got to understand the power of social media. "With phones, people have got a camera everywhere. It's crazy." More than a decade on, Beale's missed late penalty kick when he had the chance to boot Australia to victory in the first Test three days earlier remains the more regrettable slip-up for he and Genia. "The pitch was a bit soggy and I wasn't wearing studs that day either. I was wearing moulds, which is probably the biggest learning curve I've taken," recalls Beale, who still "looks away" whenever footage of the slip is shown. While he doesn't blame Beale, Genia maintains that missed shot at goal and a loose kick from Berrick Barnes that allowed George North to score in the Lions' 23-21 win ultimately proved the turning point of the series. "The reason I can say we we lost the series is we should have won the first Test," Genia said. "We won the second but it took a lot out of us emotionally to come back and win that, and then we were probably a bit flat. We couldn't recover emotionally."
Perth Now
13 hours ago
- Sport
- Perth Now
'It's crazy': Wallabies relive infamous burger brouhaha
It remains etched forever in Lions series folklore but 2013 Wallabies teammates reckon Kurtley Beale and James O'Connor's infamous early-morning burger bust was "blown out of proportion".Beale and O'Connor being captured at 3.50am at a fast food outlet between the first and second Tests of the previous series in Australia, 12 years ago, sent Fleet Street into a frenzy. Sans Quade Cooper, the other two of Australian rugby's so-called 'Three Amigos' watched their then-club side Melbourne Rebels lose to the British and Irish Lions' mid-week outfit 35-0 in Melbourne before heading to a post-match function. Rugby Australia accepted the pair's explanation that they had not been drinking and opted to take no disciplinary action Beale and O'Connor, who helped the Wallabies level the series four days later with a 16-15 victory over the Lions. "We were just hungry," Beale told AAP this week while reflecting on the "error in judgement". "We went in there and got a feed, and then we were heading back to the hotel. And then these guys took the photo and they put it in the paper. "I thought we were doing a good thing, saying 'G'day'. These lads were full of alcohol and sent it into the paper. And here we are. "I mean, looking at it now, I don't really see anything of it really." Nor did Beale's teammates. "I was vice-captain at the time and I didn't think about it as being a big deal," halfback Will Genia told AAP. "They just had Burger King on a Tuesday night and we had Wednesday off. "The biggest thing was probably that they were out late. If they were going to be up late, they probably would have been better off being in their rooms. "But at the end of the day, I thought that was blown out of proportion. "Those sorts of things happen. Like players are in their room til three o'clock in the morning playing PlayStation or whatever the games are called these days. "What that does go to show, though, is the level of scrutiny and the level of attention that is on these tours is a different level. "And that's what I loved about it. That's what I really enjoyed about it. I love that it was this massive event." Looking back, Beale shrugs off the episode as "another embarrassing moment where it probably got taken out of perspective a bit". "We didn't really know any better," he said. "We still turned up the next day, rocked up, still trained, did our job for the team."But understanding now how that could have a negative impact on the team and the look, we could probably look back and regret that decision."But there was no intention to go out. It was the time when social media was starting to get out."It's one that you just look back on and just got to understand the power of social media. "With phones, people have got a camera everywhere. It's crazy." More than a decade on, Beale's missed late penalty kick when he had the chance to boot Australia to victory in the first Test three days earlier remains the more regrettable slip-up for he and Genia. "The pitch was a bit soggy and I wasn't wearing studs that day either. I was wearing moulds, which is probably the biggest learning curve I've taken," recalls Beale, who still "looks away" whenever footage of the slip is shown. While he doesn't blame Beale, Genia maintains that missed shot at goal and a loose kick from Berrick Barnes that allowed George North to score in the Lions' 23-21 win ultimately proved the turning point of the series. "The reason I can say we we lost the series is we should have won the first Test," Genia said. "We won the second but it took a lot out of us emotionally to come back and win that, and then we were probably a bit flat. We couldn't recover emotionally."
The Age
2 days ago
- The Age
Erin Patterson murder trial LIVE updates: Accused mushroom cook's defence barrister Colin Mandy, SC, expected to close arguments on Thursday on triple murder trial
Latest posts Latest posts 10.38am What happens next? By Marta Pascual Juanola Once defence barrister Colin Mandy, SC, concludes his closing address, which he anticipates might be today, Supreme Court Justice Christopher Beale will give his final directions to the jury. Beale told jurors earlier this week that he would not be starting his address, called a judge's charge, until Monday morning, and added that the process could take a couple of days. 'It may spill over to Wednesday. With the wind at my back, I might finish it by Tuesday afternoon,' Beale told the jury. 'I just tell you that so you can organise your affairs, and I'll give you another update as we go along.' Once Beale concludes his charge, the jury will be sent out to start deliberations. 10.38am Who is who in the case By Marta Pascual Juanola 10.38am Barrister expected to wrap case for the defence By Marta Pascual Juanola Erin Patterson's defence barrister, Colin Mandy, SC, is due to continue delivering his closing address to the jury this morning after spending most of Wednesday on his feet wrapping the case. Mandy began delivering his address on Tuesday afternoon after Crown prosecutor Dr Nanette Rogers spent about a day and a half closing the case for the prosecution. He is expected to conclude his address sometime today after he told the jury on Wednesday afternoon that finishing Thursday morning 'will be the aim'. 'I should be finishing sometime tomorrow morning, that will be the aim, but I am sure you understand it is a little bit difficult to predict how quickly I go through this material,' Mandy said. He said the defence was responding to a 'pretty detailed' prosecution argument. 'I am not going to apologise for it. We're doing our job, and we will try and do it as efficiently as possible, but as thoroughly as possible,' Mandy said. 10.38am Welcome to our live coverage By Marta Pascual Juanola Good morning, and welcome to our live coverage of day 35 of the murder trial of accused mushroom killer Erin Patterson at the Latrobe Valley law courts in Morwell. My name is Marta Pascual Juanola, and together with my colleague, court reporter Erin Pearson, we will bring you the latest information from inside courtroom number four as we near the end of week eight of proceedings. As regular readers of our coverage will know, Patterson is accused of murdering her parents-in-law, Don and Gail Patterson, as well as Gail's sister Heather Wilkinson, by serving them a lunch of beef Wellington that contained death cap mushrooms at her home in Leongatha on July 29, 2023. Heather's husband, Baptist pastor Ian Wilkinson, also attended the lunch and ate the meal but survived after spending several weeks in the hospital, most of those in an induced coma.
Sydney Morning Herald
2 days ago
- Sydney Morning Herald
Erin Patterson murder trial LIVE updates: Accused mushroom cook's defence barrister Colin Mandy, SC, expected to close arguments on Thursday on triple murder trial
Latest posts Latest posts 10.38am What happens next? By Marta Pascual Juanola Once defence barrister Colin Mandy, SC, concludes his closing address, which he anticipates might be today, Supreme Court Justice Christopher Beale will give his final directions to the jury. Beale told jurors earlier this week that he would not be starting his address, called a judge's charge, until Monday morning, and added that the process could take a couple of days. 'It may spill over to Wednesday. With the wind at my back, I might finish it by Tuesday afternoon,' Beale told the jury. 'I just tell you that so you can organise your affairs, and I'll give you another update as we go along.' Once Beale concludes his charge, the jury will be sent out to start deliberations. 10.38am Who is who in the case By Marta Pascual Juanola 10.38am Barrister expected to wrap case for the defence By Marta Pascual Juanola Erin Patterson's defence barrister, Colin Mandy, SC, is due to continue delivering his closing address to the jury this morning after spending most of Wednesday on his feet wrapping the case. Mandy began delivering his address on Tuesday afternoon after Crown prosecutor Dr Nanette Rogers spent about a day and a half closing the case for the prosecution. He is expected to conclude his address sometime today after he told the jury on Wednesday afternoon that finishing Thursday morning 'will be the aim'. 'I should be finishing sometime tomorrow morning, that will be the aim, but I am sure you understand it is a little bit difficult to predict how quickly I go through this material,' Mandy said. He said the defence was responding to a 'pretty detailed' prosecution argument. 'I am not going to apologise for it. We're doing our job, and we will try and do it as efficiently as possible, but as thoroughly as possible,' Mandy said. 10.38am Welcome to our live coverage By Marta Pascual Juanola Good morning, and welcome to our live coverage of day 35 of the murder trial of accused mushroom killer Erin Patterson at the Latrobe Valley law courts in Morwell. My name is Marta Pascual Juanola, and together with my colleague, court reporter Erin Pearson, we will bring you the latest information from inside courtroom number four as we near the end of week eight of proceedings. As regular readers of our coverage will know, Patterson is accused of murdering her parents-in-law, Don and Gail Patterson, as well as Gail's sister Heather Wilkinson, by serving them a lunch of beef Wellington that contained death cap mushrooms at her home in Leongatha on July 29, 2023. Heather's husband, Baptist pastor Ian Wilkinson, also attended the lunch and ate the meal but survived after spending several weeks in the hospital, most of those in an induced coma.
Business Insider
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Business Insider
He worked multiple jobs just to pay rent in the US — so he packed up and moved to Thailand to chase a new life as a fighter
Maxwell Wolfe left the US and moved to Koh Samui, Thailand, to become a Muay Thai fighter. His daily routine in Samui involves waking up at 5 a.m. and training twice a day. He prefers the simplicity of his life in Thailand over the rat race in the US. Maxwell Wolfe had never traveled outside the US — until he flew to Thailand in 2019 for a Muay Thai fight on the island of Koh Samui. He lasted two minutes in the ring, took an elbow above his right eye, which left a scar, and then lost. But instead of flying home feeling defeated, Wolfe was hooked. Wolfe grew up in northern Virginia and had started practicing martial arts in his early 20s, when he was at a crossroads in his life. As someone with ADHD, he always found it hard to conform to conventional societal expectations. "I never really fit the mold, and martial arts is one of the very few things in my life besides music and art that made sense to me," Wolfe, now 34, told Business Insider. That match in Samui lit a fire in him, and he hoped to return to Thailand sooner to continue pursuing the sport. But the pandemic threw a wrench in his plans, and he continued training in the US instead. But life wasn't easy. With the rising cost of living, he had to juggle IT jobs, work in nightclubs, and deliver Uber Eats to pay his rent. In late 2023, things came to a head when he lost both of his IT jobs. Feeling stuck both personally and professionally, Wolfe decided to return to Samui in search of a reset. Starting afresh in Samui Once he arrived in Samui, he signed up for training at Lamai Muay Thai, a local gym. The training routine he followed gave his days structure and a sense of purpose that he quickly grew to appreciate. But as a foreigner, he realized his time in Thailand was limited. "One day, I went up to Ralph and said, 'How do I live a life like this?'" Wolfe said, referring to the owner of Lamai Muay Thai, Ralph Beale. That's when Beale told him about the Destination Thailand Visa, or DTV. Introduced last year, it can be used by digital nomads, remote workers, and those interested in participating in cultural or wellness activities — including Muay Thai. Beale told BI that the training center welcomes foreigners of all experience levels to its classes and currently has around 12 fighters training under the DTV. Wolfe's original plan was to stay for just one year. Enough time, he thought, to rebuild himself through Muay Thai. But with the visa valid for five years, the possibility of staying longer began to take shape. Eat, sleep, train, repeat Wolfe represents Lamai Muay Thai in local matches. "They get a small fight purse when they compete, which can start as low as a few thousand baht," Beale said. Most foreign fighters aren't in it for the money, but rather for the chance to compete in Thailand. Those who prove themselves in smaller arenas often earn opportunities on bigger stages, like those in Bangkok, he added. Wolfe's lifestyle on Samui is far from the relaxed and idyllic island dream one might expect. His day starts at 5 a.m. After washing up, he takes his supplements and has a light breakfast — typically a piece of fruit, like a banana. Then, it's time for training. "I usually reach the gym when the sun's still coming up, stretch a little bit, and then I run 8 to 10 kilometers in the morning," Wolfe said. After cooling down, he moves on to padwork or a CrossFit session. After morning training, Wolfe heads home and spends the afternoon on online IT courses. By 4 p.m., he's back at the gym — and ready to do it all over again. He lives in a house just five minutes away from his gym with several other fighters. One of the biggest challenges he faced was adapting to the strict discipline required by his new life. Getting into the habit of waking up early was tough, and staying mindful of his diet proved equally challenging. "I couldn't be eating all this processed crap. I couldn't have much seasoning on it," he said. "There's also temptation — I'm not even a big drinker, but alcohol is ridiculously cheap here." Adapting to a simpler life If there's anything he misses about the US, it's the sense of familiarity. "This is straight up jungle life," he said. "You've got to make sure you have a charger. Going to this spot means that you have no communication. Going to that spot means you'll encounter wild dogs." "It's one thing to be street smart back where I'm from, but being jungle smart is a completely different thing," he added. The Muay Thai gym has become a place where Wolfe has made some real friends. He finds that people in Samui are generally more open and accepting. Wolfe says he's slowly trying to learn the Thai language to get along better with the locals, including some of his trainers. Apart from training, competing, and representing the gym, Wolfe's life in Samui gave him the breathing space to grow his IT career. The lower cost of living in Samui has relieved a lot of financial pressure, allowing him to focus on upskilling himself and running his remote cybersecurity and IT consulting business. On the side, he's also building an AI app to help martial arts athletes track progress and improve performance. "Muay Thai is my main focus right now, and I'm fully committed to it. But I know fighting isn't forever," he said. Compared to the rat race, he prefers the simplicity of his life in Samui. "Despite the pain and discipline, it's so much better. I may not be working toward a luxurious apartment, which I'll never pay off in my lifetime, but I could see myself having a little house here, and I'd be happier than most people who are making six figures as a lawyer in New York," he said. In May, Wolfe fought his first Muay Thai match since receiving the visa. He walked away with a win.
