Wallabies back Kurtley Beale has been fined A$3,000 (US$2,600) for his in-flight row with former team business manager Di Patston but escaped further sanction in the latest instalment of a scandal that plunged Australian rugby into crisis.

Beale, who was fined A$45,000 last week for sending an offensive text message to Patston, remains free to play for the Wallabies despite his poor off-field record.

A bust-up over a t-shirt between Beale and Patston in transit to South America last month was the unlikely catalyst for a public relations disaster that saw Patston resign under stress and Wallabies coach Ewen McKenzie then sensationally step down two weeks ago.

Although sanctioned at a code of conduct hearing last week over the text message allegations, Beale faced a separate charge over the plane incident, which dragged out the scandal for another week.

Beale’s second fine is unlikely to quell the criticism of the ARU and its chief Bill Pulver who has been under fire for his handling of the case and the plight of Patston, who told local media this week she had felt suicidal amid the controversy.

The ARU said in a media release yesterday that a tribunal found Beale had committed “a moderate breach of team protocols” in the in-flight row.

However, the governing body added that it would re-open negotiations with Beale over his next Wallabies contract.

The 25-year-old was not in-cluded in new coach Michael Cheika’s European tour squad.