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GLEN Ella has predicted Kurtley Beale will become the best rugby player in Australia, but the former Wallaby fullback is convinced he will eventually switch to rugby league.
Ella, who discovered Beale while he was a schoolboy in Sydney and mentored him for several years, has been impressed with the way he has turned his career around in the past 12 months.
After struggling to establish himself as a starter for NSW Waratahs, Beale finished last year as the Wallabies' first-choice fullback and was nominated for the IRB's International Player of the Year award.
"He has had a few hiccups along the way, but he has learnt from those mistakes," Ella said.
"He knows if he keeps himself fit, he'll just keep on going. He'll be the best player in Australia by far. He is that good."
But Ella believes Beale will switch to rugby league after achieving what he wants to accomplish in rugby union.
Beale grew up playing rugby league in Sydney's western suburbs before attending St Joseph's College, one of Australia's greatest rugby nurseries, on an indigenous scholarship.
"I'd like to see him stay in rugby, but he's got a rugby league background," Ella said. "Once you've played a couple of World Cups and stuff like that, he would probably want to test himself out in the other code.
"Hopefully, that doesn't happen, but I can see him heading there eventually. He loves it. If you talk about Matty Johns and Benji Marshall, his eyes light up because he wants to be something like that.
"When he started he was a bit hesitant in defence. His defence has improved 100 per cent. That was the only part of his game that was a little bit shaky. His attack is fantastic."
Beale arrived on the Super Rugby scene with the Waratahs as a 17-year-old in 2007 amid tremendous fanfare.
He was compared to former Wallabies five-eighth Mark Ella (Glen's twin) because of his skills and Aboriginal heritage, but it has taken him a few years to live up to his promise.
Beale shifted between five-eighth and inside centre before a mid-season move to fullback where he emerged as one of the most exciting players in world rugby in 2010.
But Ella envisages Beale moving back to a playmaking role. "I think he will eventually go back to 10," Ella said. "Now that he has experience he is so much more confident in everything he does. He backs himself to the hilt.
"Whilst he is a fantastic fullback and should be selected there for Australia, it would be good to see him go back to 10 eventually.
"The more he has got the ball in his hands he is going to cause trouble. He's got a pretty good kicking game, he's got that acceleration to be able to go through a gap if it opens and he's got a great pass either side.
"He's got all the makings of a good 10. Let him enjoy himself at fullback for the moment."
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news...-1226007204706