Karmichael Hunt

Hunt, Ashley-Cooper confirmed for round one starts

Beale played 31 games last year, the most of any Australian player, and featured in almost every minute of those outings at both Super Rugby and Test level.

He is one of seven Wallabies who were rested from the preseason trials as part of a plan to manage international players ahead of the World Cup but he is the only one who will sit out the Hurricanes clash.

Hunt's performances at training since joining the club last month and in those trial games were enough to give Waratahs coach Daryl Gibson the confidence to keep Beale on ice for one more week.

"It's great to be back": Hunt breaks silence after comeback

The banished Reds star returned to rugby with a 30-minute cameo in Souths's 24-all draw at Bond University - the Magpies erasing a 24-12 deficit after Hunt entered the fray.

He helped set up the try which laid the platform for a grandstand finish and threw the final, looping cutout which put star winger Emori Waqavulagi in for his third try of the afternoon - Quade Cooper missing a shot two metres in from touch after the final siren to leave the score deadlocked.

Hunt cleared to make return

Hunt, 31, was arrested in December last year before pleading guilty on separate charges of possessing a dangerous drug (Alprazolam) and contravening a police direction, fined 300 Australian dollars for each offence.

RA said it found Hunt committed "a low-level breach" of the organisation's player code of conduct. 

It fined Hunt 10,000 AUD and handed him a four-match suspension, while he was placed on an illicit drug testing program for 12 months and will participate in any drug treatment and education programs deemed necessary by RA.

Hunt avoids drugs conviction

The 31-year-old's future remains in the hands of Rugby Australia, who say they have "resumed" an investigation into his conduct after prosecutors dropped a cocaine charge against him in court yesterday.

A statement from Rugby Australia said Hunt would continue his "voluntary stand- down" from all rugby duties until the matter is resolved.

It means his playing career is still in limbo, with the national governing body a chance of tearing up his contract for bringing the game into disrepute.

Hunt recommits to Wallabies, Reds

The code-hopper has played five Tests for the Wallabies since making his debut against Fiji in June.

Hunt, 31, represented Australia and Queensland in rugby league and played Australian rules football before settling into union with the Reds in 2015, having also featured in the 15-man code six years earlier.

"It's been a big year for me personally, obviously making my Wallabies debut was a huge honour but I really enjoyed getting some really solid minutes up in Queensland with Reds," he said.