Rugby-Cheika not 'playing politics' with Beale call-up

* Cheika gives Beale redemption shot * Beale says wants to repay supporters' faith (Adds Beale reaction) Nov 15 (Reuters) - Australia coach Michael Cheika has defended calling up Kurtley Beale for the Wallabies' final two matches of their European tour against Ireland and England, saying to keep the controversial back in the freezer would be "playing politics". Beale was fined A$48,000 ($42,000) for sending an offensive text message to a Wallabies staffer and engaging in an in-flight row with her in transit to Argentina. She later quit under the stress of the controversy. The Australian Rugby Union had hoped to have Beale's Wallabies contract torn up, but an independent tribunal allowed the 25-year-old to continue his international career. Beale was a linchpin in Cheika's New South Wales Waratahs team who celebrated their maiden Super Rugby title this year, and the new Wallabies coach said the player was too good to leave out. "If I don't select players who I think should be in the team then I'm just playing politics too and that's not what I'm interested in," Cheika told reporters on the eve of the Wallabies' test against France in Paris. "When you play for Australia, I imagine, it's got to be about who's the best. "I've got to stay true to what I believe and what I believe as the coach at this level, I don't have any influence in any other part of the ARU except for coaching the team and picking it. "If people didn't want him to play then that decision would have been made. If I'm not looking at it that way, not only am I letting down the other players because you've got to get the best players playing," he added. Beale was suspended for the Wallabies' last two matches of the southern hemisphere Rugby Championship pending his hearing, which was held just after the team left for Europe. Cheika had the option of bringing him back into the squad immediately, but overlooked him for the opening victories against the invitational Barbarians and Wales. Beale, who brought a poor off-field record into his hearing, said he had been worried that his Wallabies career was over. "There was some dark days and obviously that did cross my mind," Beale said at Sydney airport on Saturday before flying out to join the team. "But I think throughout the whole process, there's been a lot of belief and faith shown in me and that's definitely helped me go through it all and I'm very thankful for that. "Definitely, I feel like I have to show the Australian public what I can do out there and, if I can, show that through some good performances and, hopefully, I can repay that faith." Cheika also backed Beale to repair his image on the field. "I think he's going to redeem himself on the playing field, get respect back on the field because he's very disappointed, as he should be with what transpired," he said. (1 US dollar = 1.1438 Australian dollar) (Reporting by Ian Ransom in Melbourne; Editing by Peter Rutherford)